New Frontier
by RogerD
Summary: An alien once worshipped as a god, seeks to explore a nearby galaxy of Vorlons and Jedi.The younger races learn of their arrogance and their place in the scheme of things. Will they avoid destruction and death?
1. The Setting

A New Frontier

I am combining a few sci-fi genres, and will be fudging Star Trek, Babylon 5, and Star Wars. With a bit of thought they all fit nicely together. I will be removing some of the obscenely high technology from Star Trek that they encounter all the time, and don't want too many races.

Chapter 1

I have been known by many names, one of which would be Addad. I have been wild, and benevolent. The Lords of Kobol once worshipped us, as did the humans that left there to settle on Earth. We, the Ieldra are a race of travellers and capable of teleporting great distances; as a result we need no spaceships.

According to legend we were born or rather created by the Pre-Entitites almost 200,000 years ago. My kind are immortal, in a similar way to vampires; although we eat normal food and do not need blood to survive. Our species all look human, and contains another race within it. Born or created it does not matter. Resident upon our planet were the Tanjian, or Triclops. They looked like we did, but when they concentrate and perform magic, they open a third eye upon their forehead. To some extent they possess more power than we do, but their species is quite a small one and we quite simply outnumber them. Both of our species is able to channel energy through our bodies, with our minds.

Even so, they are able to teleport just as we are. There was a time almost a thousand years ago that the First Ones in their ignorance, or arrogance controlled not just this galaxy, but ours as well. It was time for the Vorlons and Shadows to continue their 'battle' of ideology of whose way was better. They sought to sterilise our kind, but we fought back. This was the time when our 'gods', or masters of our kind rose up. The Shadows and Vorlons rose against us, and Zeus, Odin, Shiva and many others met them head on.

Although this was a battle in space, some our kind commanded great magics and made themselves immune to vacuum somehow. Their retribution great, great Zeus threw the Thunderbolt of Aegis and vaporised many ships, other possessed similar power. Need I say thermonuclear explosions. The First Ones fled this galaxy and were told never to return. There has not been any of our kind that powerful since that day, no one knows why. I have not seen Zeus, also known as Enlil, or any of the others since that day.

I am travelling the galaxy of the First Ones, and there is a planet here called Terra and seems to be identical in every way, except it is the 22nd Century, but nonetheless populated by humans. Interesting. They have a space station called Babylon 5, and have recently come across the Galactic Senate, which is run by Chancellor Palpatine; I think they call them Sith Lords or some such nonsense. Earth, and their respective spaces have all become apart of it, except the Centuari who as usual like to play both sides. At least they did, until they came across the Jedi, who saw straight through their plans. Such silly names really, they are mages; why overcomplicate?

There has been no Shadow / Vorlon war, it is overdue. Yet bizarrely their area of space is off limits to the Galactic Senate, and has been for a millennia or more.

I will interact with the people a little bit. But first a visit to Zha'Hadum, to see Lorien is still there. I would like to meet the oldest being in the universe, very much indeed.


	2. Babylon 5

Chapter 2

Here's testament to the fact that I make mistakes, I appeared right in the middle of Babylon 5, command centre; the only sound to alert people to my presence was a slight thunderclap. I was displacing a certain amount of air with my arrival, physics and all that. If I'd have taken a chameleon field they wouldn't have seen me. Now I wasn't wearing anything particularly warlike, but with safety in mind. On Earth, they have special teams that wear this stuff; mine was a bit more high tech though, I can't remember the name. Oh yes, SWAT teams, that was it. The only difference is that I had no obvious weapon. I had large black bracelets on each my wrists that could fire thunderbolts. I could also psionically link them to fire the 'thunderbolts of hell'. But the charge was limited for that. I was also a psionic mage, albeit nothing special.

Captain Sheriden did not look happy, and neither did the others, especially as weapons were being pointed at me. Frak it! Under the circumstances I did the only thing I could do.

"Er, Hi" and I waved hello.

"How the hell did you get here", woman with dark brown hair said, in rather aggressive tones I might; she was actually quite attractive. I realised she was a low level psionic.

"Who are you?" asked another man with short cropped hair, of a reasonable build. He was obviously in charge, and had an air of authority about him. If I had to guess, I would say about 40-ish.

"My name is Addad. Who are you?" I didn't want to give out too much information at this point.

"My name is John Sheriden"

"Where am I?"

"Don't you know?" the woman inquired.

"No" or I wouldn't have asked. Doh!

"Surely you must know this is Babylon 5" She sounded exasperated, as though I was a child. Good pomba, I was dozens of parsecs off course.

"Just how did you get here?" she continued imperiously.

"That's little difficult to explain" I replied. At this point another man walked onto the command deck. He was a bit shorter than Sheriden, average build, and very short cropped hair to the extent it was stubble.

"Another good day then" he said caustically. I noticed they all had a metal device on their hands. This new person pressed it. "This is Garibaldi, I need a security team to CNC". This was not going as planned.

"Look I didn't mean to drop in here like this, I'm just a little bit off course" I said raising my hands palms outward, hoping this would be interpreted as friendly.

"Just how far off course" the attractive woman inquired.

"A nothing really, considering the distance I have just travelled"

"Can you be a little more exact" asked John

"A few dozen parsecs, as I said not far"

"Susan are there any ships out there, even at long range?" asked John.

"What am I missing out on?" asked Garibaldi in a very quiet voice.

"He just appeared here out of nowhere"

"He looks human enough. He must have come on board somehow. I'll put out a search on his description"

"I wouldn't bother. You won't find a ship, and neither did I walk on board"

"So you're claiming to have just appeared out of thin air a couple of parsecs off course?" Susan inquired.

"Considering I was travelling intergalactic a few parsecs is nothing" I replied

"Now I know you're joking" she replied

"Actually I wasn't". Susan at this minute was doing an impression of fish on dry land, and seemed about to say something.

"Susan wait a minute" John started, took a breath and continued, "Are you human, and if not what race do you represent? Have your race been in this galaxy before?" How do you answer a question like that? Yes, and you used to worship me as a god of thunder and tempest in ancient Sumeria & Babylon. Frak it!

"Yes I have been here, thousands of years ago. While I…" and I stopped. I could sense another strong psychic presence on board; Vorlon!

"Thousands of years, and?" Susan said trying to prompt me doing that fish impression again.

"You expect me to believe you've been alive over amillenia?" asked Garibaldi.

"Susan that fish impression does not suit you. You've got Vorlon on board" I said with a sense of urgency. I really wanted to blast him the 'thunderbolts of hell' right out of his 'Encounter suit'. I frilling hate them.

"Do you have some a problem with Vorlons?" Garibaldi asked in that very quiet voice of his. I had the feeling he'd eat my grandmother just to prove a point.

"Who doesn't have a problem with Vorlons?' I replied sarcastically. For his part Garibaldi just sorted of tilted his head to the side as though he was hoping a thought was going to fall towards his mouth so he could speak.

"He's got a point a Michael. Kosh is very secretive at the best of times"

"I'll tell you what. If you can get me a cup of nice coffee, we can sit around table and talk. This standing around is really frakking me off"

"Okay" said John.

"Oh, and John" I said, and he looked at me, "no Vorlons, but if you really want to scare him; tell him Addad of the Ieldra is here; and then watch him cower"

"I'd pay to see that" said Michael Garibaldi.

"So would I Michael, so would I" replied John. "Susan can you see about some coffee in the briefing room?"

We were sitting around table, and the coffee was lovely. I firmly believe only a civilised intelligent race can enjoy coffee. In fact, it has been written about in many mythologies, deified in it's own right. Hindus would call it Ambrosia.

"So your race is called the Ieldra? Are you really extra-galactic?" Susan asked.

"Yes in both instances. My planet used to have many Governments when it was younger, just like any other. But we decided we could not continue as we were. Finally we elected Yahweh as Supreme Chancellor, but maintained a democracy". This was true, most of the others of our kind with equal power did not wish to rule.

"Wait a minute" Susan interrupted, "that's a name for God" she finished.

"It is no coincidence. Humans once worshipped other races more advanced than them, mine was another on that long list". At this point John changed the direction of conversation.

"Why do you not like the Vorlons?"

"Other than the obvious, the secrecy, the superiority complex" interrupted Michael in usual sarcastic tones. I was deciding that he possessed a singular sarcastic sense of humour.

"The Vorlons and their counterparts, the Shadows sought to eliminate my race a thousand years ago"

"We've not come across the 'Shadows' yet" said Susan.

"The Vorlons and 'the Shadows', are both 'First Ones', two of several older races in this galaxy and mine that sought to teach the 'younger races' the right path" I paused, and took a sip of coffee, "unfortunately the others left, leaving these two powerhouses behind. The Vorlons want obedience and order, the 'shadows' chaos and death through war. Hence diametrically opposed"

"What do the 'Shadows' look like? We've seen a Vorlon out of their 'Encounter suit'. They look almost angelic"

"That was a psionic mind game. They look nothing like angels. I can introduce you to the real thing. The Seraphim are just another alien race, like us in many respects"

"You mean, they're _aliens_" asked Susan, using the last word like it was dirty.

"What did you expect, glowing halos? Do you ever wonder why many species fear 'creepy crawlies', spiders and large beetles? Well a 'Shadow' looks a lot like a large Spider"

"Really?" probed Michael

"Consider what 'the shadows' have done as post traumatic stress disorder on a large genetic scale across many species"

"How big are they exactly? You say it's genetic" asked John.

"About as tall as you are John. Of course, to keep the upcoming races in fear before their 'gods'"

"But that doesn't tell us how you got here. How can you travel such a large distance without a ship"

"Exactly what I was about to say" Michael used that soft voice of his. I really didn't want to see him mad. I was guessing a little, okay a lot psychotic.

"In laymans terms, beyond 'planck space & planck time'" I started, and got blank (should I say planck) looks.

"The smallest unit of measurement" John said for the benefit of the other two.

"Thank you. Beyond that measurement, there exists an ocean of absolute energy if you like. My species are able to enter that and use it as a travel medium. Some can even travel in time"

"And your species can travel anywhere?"

"Not at all. Only a few can travel long distances like I did. Most cannot get outside our galaxy. I was going to come here anyway."

"What's so important about here?" asked John.

"Simple, the Vorlons and 'shadows' war every thousand years or so, and they're overdue. I came to give you and the Galactic Senate information in advance" and took a little computer device out that looked like an Earthen IPOD. "I've modified it to downloaded into your systems" handing it over to John.

"You said that they wanted to destroy you, what happened?" Susan was quite inquisitive. This time curiosity would not kill the cat, she was too attractive.

"We beat them back and out of our galaxy"

"Did" Susan started to say. I knew what she was asking.

"Yes Susan, Yahweh was there, with others like Zeus and Shiva. All of them are still alive" and I paused for a second "remember. We are not gods Susan you have to leave little mythologies behind as your race matures. There are far worse out here than the First Ones"

"You're leaving? So soon?" John look ed concerned.

"I have to deliver another copy to the Senate, and the Jedi. But I will be back soon, quicker than you might think" and I was vanished into the 'undertime'.


	3. The Unifying Force

Chapter 3

Special opener info. Did anybody wonder why there was so much power released at the end of the film 'Return of Jedi' when the Emperor died? Answers inside.

Story continued.

I travelled all the way to Coruscant in one 'jump'. It is possible to stay in the undertime and look out, and not too dissimilar to being underwater and trying view your surroundings. I waited until it was safe and no on one was around, and 'broke out' outside Chancellor Palpatines' door. I knew he was a Lord of the Sith, and no doubt sensed my presence, thinking me a Jedi. I pressed the button, and the door opened.

"Well well, Chancellor" I said, and noticed he had an aide with him, a being that looked like a walking Octopus. I couldn't remember what their race was called.

"Who are you?" he asked slightly pensively.

"My name is Addad Chancellor, and I have information for you, a threat to the whole galaxy" As I said this is he looked at me strangely and at my side to see if I had a lightsaber. "I'm not a Jedi Chancellor" His eyes continued to bore holes in me.

"What kind of threat do you have knowledge of that no one else knows about?" He asked pleasantly.

"Well Chancellor, there are at least two very old races involved, that still reside in this galaxy. They are older than the whole Galactic Senate by a factor of, oh a million years or so"

"If they are that old why have we not encountered them? I think not. Please run along" he said impatiently, gesturing with his hand towards the door, he looked quite busy and stressed, although still amiable.

"You've recently in the last few years encountered the Mimbari, other humans, and the Centauri, to name but a few that speak the name Vorlon, some with almost reverence. Does not their area of space exist on your galactic maps as unexplored? Do you not have other smaller sectors also unexplored? Mmmm? " I could see when I used the word 'Vorlon' I had his immediate attention. His eyes narrowed, and I could tell not many knew about them in the GS.

"Yes what of it. None that go there return. We have currently commissioned a clone army, we have dozens of ships that will be used to explore and make contact with those regions of space."

"It's not just them Chancellor, but another race the Shadows. Both Vorlon and Shadow repeat a conflict of ideology every thousand years or so. Look at your own history. Was there not a great war just over a thousand years ago"

"Are you seriously suggesting they orchestrated that? I think you are mistaken, one race is not that powerful"

"Oh but they are. Both races could wipe out whole planets, cutting a wave of destruction. They are coming Chancellor" I could see he still didn't believe me. "Look Lord Sidious" I said, and noticed his immediate hostility, albeit still with a smile on his face, not many people can do that.

"Leave us" I could feel him directing his 'magic' powers at his aide who immediately followed his request and walked out the doors, which dully closed behind him, mind control, how unsubtle. "I think you have me confused with someone else"

"Now that I have your attention now Sith Lord. We have much to discuss you and I"

I had very patiently explained about the Vorlons and 'Shadows', and what they were, and where I came from. He had examined the data pad I had given him, and seemed concerned.

"You really expect me to believe all this?" the Chancellor continued frostily, while directing his mind control powers at me; I presume he thought he was subtle. The air in here was thick with his power, almost humid; and the air conditioning wasn't helping a great deal. You will have heard other preternaturals use something called the 'voice'. If you've ever watched a horror flick where someone is possessed by demon, and they talk real gravely and sinister; that's what the 'voice' sounds like. The more powerful version sounds far nastier. Imagine now, instead of being possessed, said Demon is in front of you; all ten feet plus of cloven hooves, tail; the 'whole nine yards', and it starts talking to you!

"_CUT THE CRAP_!", and then I switched back to my normal tones, magic plays havoc with vocal cords, "you're what sixty years old, a hundred and fifty pending current treatments? I've been alive and a practicing mage over _TWO THOUSAND YEARS_!" I would probably have a sore throat in the morning.

Senator Palpatine for his part took a cautionary step back, and raised his hands, and I could feel his energies gathering, flowing towards his fingertips. There are several types of magic 'projectiles', and I knew the 'Sith' used 'magic lightening'. The cells within their bodies are capable of generating more power to enable them to create an electrical discharge, usually flowing from each fingertip towards a target, resulting in electrocution. As his energies gathered, it was then I sensed it, his veil of deception was lifted. He had concealed his powers well. The Chancellor was an Immortal.

As he unleashed his energies, I protected myself by raising my hands in a warding gesture. The Ieldra are able to control energy with our 'minds', well I absorbed his projected magic into myself, but had to take a step back to do so. In truth had he been a few hundred years older I would have been overpowered. Eventually his onslaught stopped, and I stood there with my hands outstretched, palms smelling of burnt chicken. I unleashed a more powerful version of the magic the Chancellor just did. ZZZAP!

A huge lightening bolt erupted from my left hand and blew a hole in the Chancellors desk apart and cooking a nearby plant. I didn't even use my gauntlets. He watched, obviously shocked as my hand healed, and I had casually done something he could not. At a guess he hadn't come across many others like himself.

"Look Chancellor, we're both preternaturals. How many have you come across that are as old and heal like you and me" I hoped he was going to think we were both Immortals.

"No I haven't", he said, and I noticed that the air smelt distinctly of ozone, but two fools in here had been casting lightening around in an enclosed space. I wonder who they were?

"There's a whole 'community' of us, in my home galaxy I mentioned earlier. Now I can bend you to my will just as easily as you control your aide, and others?" I used emphasis on the last word, because he must have more than one 'victim'.

"What do you want?" he asked, with a hint of fear in his voice.

"I want you to gather your contacts, and prepare yourselves against the First Ones. I need to tell the Jedi, and get them onboard. They will also need to know about you being a Sith I'm afraid"

"You can't, they will stop at nothing to destroy me". He was getting angry again.

"I will enforce a treaty between both of you. Once this issue is done, if you choose to kill each other; it's up to you. I have already told the 'Earth Alliance' so they will be ready to help, I believe that the Captain on Babylon 5 will be quite helpful. Besides the Jedi will need certain of your skills as you will need theirs" and I entered the undertime heading straight for the Jedi temple. I never saw his look of shock, and awe on his face; but neither would I have cared.

I stayed in the undertime again looking into the Council chambers of the Jedi, making sure it was safe. No point getting this far, and getting killed. I had already received one shock, an Immortal mage; what was next? I could feel two Jedi Masters searching, almost as if a couple of them could sense my presence. I 'broke out' into normal surroundings, with a slight thunderclap.

"Evening" I said salubriously. I never really finished the sentence as a lightsaber was pointed in my direction, damn he was quick. Both of the Jedi's, were dressed in simple robes.

"I think he is obviously the intruder we could sense" said a large human, with dark skin and a bald head. With comments like that, he'd make forensics. It always makes me laugh in situations like this, what do you say, 'I come in peace', or 'I mean you no harm'. So I stick to the basics.

"Hello"

"Who are you" the bald human continued belligerently.

"I'm not going to hurt anyone" I said and, "I'm going to reach slowly into my pocket and get a data pad" and I reached slowly as I didn't fancy being sliced n' diced. As I took it out my pocket, and slowly placed it on the floor, and pushed it with my foot towards them. The smaller green skinned one with pointed ears picked it up. He had not drawn a lightsaber; and was definitely the most powerful of the two. According to my histories, a schism would form and a great civil war result within the next few months. Remember I said that some of my species could travel in time? I was here to change their future and prevent this, otherwise the galaxy would erupt into a millennia of turmoil within the next five centuries.

"Information this is?" he remarked. I was racking my brains for their names, the small green master was called Yoda; the other Mace Windu?

"I am called Addad, would you" I said pointing at the bald dark skinned human "be Master Windu", and "you Master Yoda"

"Know us do you?" replied the small green alien. I'm guessing I got their names right.

"Indeed. I have bad news. Within a few short months you will be at war, many of the Jedi will be dead, you included Master Windu" I said pointing again, I know it's rude but I had to make a point.

"Know the future would you?" asked the short green one.

"I am from another galaxy, my race able to use what you would call the 'force', although we call it magic. Your whole galaxy has been and still is being manipulated"

"If it was we would have seen evidence of it. So what makes you think you are right?" asked Mace.

"On that data pad is information about the First Ones. They were here to 'Shepherd' the younger races, till you were sheep no longer, guide you to adulthood. But two of them became embroiled in a war of ideology"

"So how have they manipulated us" Mace inquired. You know I said about enforcing a treaty between Jedi and Sith, well once the Jedi learnt the truth I wouldn't need to.

"Your whole concept of the light and dark side of the force are illusions created by them. To keep internal conflict to a maximum" At this Yoda ears became raised, or more pointed.

"Impossible" said Master Windu.

"The First Ones are extremely psychic are not able to use the force like many others. Most, if not all are accomplished psychics, some off your scale of measurement, and are not to be tackled by the unprepared or the weak. As a result they fear you greatly, so they created the idea of 'light' and 'dark' sides of the force. Insidious planning at it's best"

"You mean to tell me, that we fought the Sith for no reason?"

"Not for no reason no. Because the First Ones will it, to them you will live or die at their command. If the Sith did not have to scheme and could cooperate with your Council, they would not have been brought down by their own internal conflicts"

"Possible this is"

"In fact, your Chancellor Palpatine is a Lord of the Sith"

"We have suspected this. I must mobilise the Jedi, and arrange his arrest" said Master Windu

"Listen to what this one has said, you have not" uttered Master Yoda. It was then I realised that although not as powerful as Palpatine, he had a profound level of understanding and wisdom. I had shaken his teachings to the very core, yet it was almost as if he knew it would happen, or anticipated it.

"Yes, you must now both cooperate to win the upcoming battle. Senator Palpatine, or Darth Sidious as he known among his order. If he gets out of hand he will be dealt with by another"

"Who?" asked Master Windu

"Not your concern. Besides neither are either of you his equal yet. I must now also teach both of you what it is the force is"


	4. First Contact

Thanks to my beta reader Lancelot and for adding a some really good ideas.

Chapter 4

I did think about making my way to Zha'Hadum, but I did not want to risk engaging any First Ones yet. The time would come without a doubt. For the last few weeks though I had been teaching both Mace & Yoda more subtle intricacies of the 'force', or using absolute energy to their utmost.

Mace was easy to annoy and I could use his anger against him. Yoda, was like a zen master, only even calmer. Usually the only person that ended up getting annoyed was me and Yoda to just tended to smile at that.

But that wasn't the difficult part, I had to break the bad news to Palpatine that he had been manipulated.

"Surely you must understand what the First Ones have done, causing all Jedi to become cut off and separated from the possibility of love, family"

"Understand I do" replied Yoda

"It still really annoys me that we have lived a lie" Mace replied raising his voice.

"Unfortunate this is. Destroy us it must not" Yoda replied in his usual enigmatic way.

So far I had taught both Mace and Yoda to further the use of their telekinesis abilities, both now had the ability to throw 'force lightening' by increasing the electrical charge of their cells, and a few other useful skills.

I had also recently been studying some old archives, and my data pad gave me access to the Ieldra network, Darth Sidious was actually the student of Darth Plagueis 'the wise' before murdering him. That would mean that Palpatine was almost a thousand years old! Shit, this was really bad. I might need to 'resource' another Immortal to deal with him if need be. But who? Alternatively I was just hoping that I could get Yoda to gather enough 'magical' energy to prevent him ageing any more, it was a rare occurrence, but possible. I certainly didn't have the technology for the right gene therapy.

All three of us continued to walk away from the training area, all tired. We carried on walking, and they turned right while I went left.

"Are you not returning to the 'Masters' room with us?" Mace inquired.

"No, an errand he must run. Bad news he must give" Yoda replied for me and off I walked towards the Chancellor. His ability to view the future was really beginning to scare the crap out of me, which promptly sent a chill down my spine. I boarded a transport ten minutes later, still with that same chill, wondering what else Yoda could do that I could not.

After about half an hour I arrived within a few hundred meters of the Chancellors office, and I enjoyed the view of the city on the way. Huge skyscrapers that make the ones on Earth look small, and the traffic makes LA in rush hour seem peaceful by comparison. As I got off the transport all that was required was a short walk and brief lift ride. Why didn't I just teleport? I didn't because I needed thinking time and to decide how to break the bad news. I hadn't been able to make up my mind all day. Hopefully, we wouldn't end up killing each other. I said a silent prayer to the Pre-Entities and entered the lift.

It was one the longest thirty seconds of my life in that lift, that and graduating the Ieldra academies where they test the true limits of your abilities. The doors opened and out I walked towards his office. I knew he was in there as I could sense him, and he me. The doors opened, and I entered. His office was spacious as usual, and he had obviously replaced his desk after our last encounter, albeit with another of the same style.

"Good morning Chancellor"

"Ah Addad" he replied and turning to his aide Onaconda Farr, who was of the Rodian species "I wish to speak in private". Onaconda turned and left leaving me and the Chancellor alone.

"What can I do for you" he asked jovially.

"I have some bad news that I must tell you"

"Before you start I really must thank you for the peace between myself and Jedi; I have no idea how you did it"

"I came to you tell you what I told them"

"What was that exactly" the Chancellor inquired.

"You know I mentioned that the 'First Ones' were millions of years old"

"I remember you mentioned it, and I have had time to read your database. It is really most enlightening"

"Good. You see it is mostly about the 'force' that we need to talk"

"You are here to teach me as you are the Jedi". He must have sensed what I had been doing somehow.

"No Chancellor, you need little of my teachings, more information"

"It is obviously important then"

"It began with the very first 'First One' Lorien. The first living being in the whole universe; he is maybe 17 billion years old; give or take or million years"

"That was not in your database. Is it actually possible to be that old? And what powers he must have to survive that long" Trust a Sith to look at accumulating more power.

"Yes, he really is that old; and very powerful. You see the other races that followed he taught and many were able to perceive the 'force' but not use it"

"I see, but what relevance does that have?"

"They were psychics of the highest order Lord Sidious. So in order to control the practitioners of the 'force' they created two philosophical ideals"

"That's outrageous"

"To prevent the ability of any Jedi, light of dark to accumulate too much knowledge to see the truth", I continued, taking a pause for breath, "they even posed as early Jedi. Their psychic powers easily being confused for the 'force'".

It was at this point I could see him doing the maths, and could feel his anger build. A wordless scream became one primal rage and tore through Palpatine's throat, echoing in the air. First objects are hurtled around the room like they weigh nothing, then the window explodes outward. A large bookcase is thrown out of the window by unseen hands. I know that more is coming and stand my ground, for I must.

Suddenly the dam bursts on his rage, venting to its utmost. Lightening spews from what would have been the future Emperors fingertips, hitting the desk, table, chairs and wall. Finally all his rage became directed at me, the source of the revelation. I absorb it all, without grimace, or hint of discomfort. As unmoveable as a mountain, total calmness overtakes me. The anger of Lord Sidious is so great that he lets down all his mental shields and barriers, allowing me to read him with ease.

By the force! What manner of creature is he?

I can feel Palpatine controlling his rage, weary of me; reigning it in as you would a wayward horse.

"My apologies Addad, I take this.. Manipulation not well at all."

"'Tis to be expected Lord Sidious." In truth I am glad he stopped. I know not how

much more I could have endured without taking action. He must never suspect

nor know that he could threaten me in anyway.

I could slowly feel the air clear, and his anger dissipate, thankfully . The smell of ozone pungent in the air, with a heaviness to it, thick like treacle. The air from the destroyed window rushes in taking away some of the staleness; making it more breathable again, as I take a cleansing breath. I have a glance around the office, burn marks are all over the wall, huge dents where objects have impacted. The office is a mess.

"Your whole galaxy has been manipulated in more ways than one" I said.

"In what way?" and could feel his power begin to build again.

"Chancellor, control" I said, "as I said to the Captain of Babylon 5, it is genetic in nature. Most species are afraid of the dark, because the worshippers are supposed to fear their gods after all"

"This cannot be allowed to continue"

"I quite agree and think we must get you, the Jedi and Captain Sheriden to meet so we can move things forward"

"How soon?"

"Within the next few weeks, if not sooner.

"Until then"

"Oh and Chancellor. Have you managed to get your engineers to work on the hyperspace engine schematics that both the Vorlons and Shadows use?"

"We will have a test ship ready within the next few days"

"I'd better go to Babylon 5. See you soon" and off I went into the undertime.

I arrived on Babylon 5 with my usual clap of thunder in the middle of C&C, standing behind a human I didn't recognise. Being new to this galaxy, I didn't really know many people. My immediate opinion of him would be slimy. He hadn't even turned around at my arrival, although my 'friends' here had, John and Susan. This 'other' had dark brown hair like Susan, a smart jacket and trousers.

"I think that will be all Mr Morden" John Sheriden stated quite forcefully. Whatever the conversation was, John did not like this man. I knew that name. Think!

"You do not want to anger my associates, they do not take kindly to disobedience". Who hell was this jackass? Susan was remaining very quiet. I presume she was under orders?

"Excuse?" I said walking into their conversational 'space'.

"I don't believe this conversation included you" the stranger replied.

"My name is Addad, and you are?"

"My name is Morden". I did recognise his name, a Shadow servant.

"Are your associates hiding in _shadows_?" I said emphasising their name.

"You know of my associates?" He asked.

"Do you both know each other?" inquired John.

"Know, no" I said, "now his associates are liable to crawl out the woodwork if given a push, like cockroaches". I couldn't sense any 'Shadows', but they could veil themselves even from me. They did not get that name for no reason!

I did think about remaining hidden, and be covert. There would be tactical advantage in it, but the big disadvantage is having to play dumb. I would sooner they know that I know who and what they are. Make it difficult for them to move. Make the little bastards squirm. Trouble with that it is, it could force their hand. War is never a simple affair.

"You did not answer my question" Morden stated.

"Mighty observant of you" I replied.

"You would do well to heed my warning Captain" Morden continued, over dramatising. I gathered my magic about me, and used the 'demon voice' to get attention.

"_HEED ME LITTLE SERVANT. TELL YOUR MASTERS THAT AN IELDRA IS HERE AND DOES TAKE KINDLY TO THEIR CONTINUED INTERFERANCE_" I boomed. My voice had risen to levels of loudness that would drown out a 21st Century nightclub, various items shook with the vibration. A couple of people held their ears. Mr Morden for his part took several steps backward. I like to have an audiences attention, and right now no one was ignoring me.

"Run home little errand boy. Do not come here again" I continued in a normal human voice. Mr Morden for his part did not turn his back upon me, but walked slowly towards the door; never once taking his eyes off me. I watched him leave, tail between his legs, fear in his eyes.

"Good riddance" I said and got blank looks, no one heard me. John had one of his fingers in his ear moving it up and down rapidly to get his hearing working again. I waited for peoples hearing to return to normal.

"Next time you do that couldn't you give a bit of warning" criticised Susan.

"How did you do that anyway?" John inquired.

"Magic"

"Oh come one" chided Susan.

"You believe in psychic ability, why not magic"

"Because it is impossible, at least that we know of" said John.

"It is merely the presence of a gene that allows my mind to act as a lens upon reality, and bend it to my will"

"You expect us to believe that". Susan forever asking questions.

"Wait a minute" said John, who then briefly scratched his chin. "Are you saying that a gene is responsible for it?"

"If correct gene therapy is given, anyone can do it"

"Sign me up" Susan chirped.

While I am distracted by Susan's comment, the days events have obviously taken their toll on me. I do not sense the psychic attack until it hits me, throwing me my knees. Instantly I know the 'Shadows' are behind it, hiding in hyperspace where even I would have trouble finding them, or striking back. It feels like a knife through my eyes into my brain, the pain is blinding. I clutch at my head instinctively, as my vision blurs. The attack does not stop as the creatures 'hit' me again; my blood feels like it is boiling and it probably is. I feel so hot! It is so painful I can't even scream for help.

I vary my tactics taking refuse in memory. During my youth while in training I once had to learn to survive in diverse environments. My mentor bade me to "eat" darkness to feel oneness with it, use it to fuel me with such intent and rage that one could commit murder and remember nothing. So I plunge my mind into that memory surrounding my consciousness with blissful darkness. It gains me what I so desperately needed, time to recover. I can feel the Shadows baleful intent, their desire for my destruction but they waste energy battering at the memory I have thrown between us. Once I have caught my breath I gather my forces and emerge hurling everthing I have. As I thought, I have caught them off guard and they recoil the brutality of my counter attack.

Again I can only blame weariness for the mistake I have made. I failed to take into account that these creatures never travel alone. The second group of Shadows, usually two or more, was waiting for just this sort of mistake. By committing all of my force into my counter attack I narrowed the entire focus of my attention. A very very foolish mistake for it allowed the second group to slip behind my guard and attack. Now being pinioned between two Shadows I really begin to worry about my survival. My knees shake, my teeth grind, tears of power drip from my eyes. I guess it is true, God protects Irishmen and the foolish for I suddenly feel another psychic presence. This time on my side, pushing away their attack, giving me breathing space. I do not know who my saviour is, only that it is a 'her'.

My mind begins to clear, and I reach inside myself into my reserves and use that part of me that can use magic. I snap my shields tightly into place, filling any gaps to prevent further attack. I visualise my body surrounded by a huge metal wall at all sides that nothing can penetrate. I do not remember falling to the floor but I must have. I slowly try to stand, my preternatural strength drained and unable to support me. I look up at my saviour, she has red hair and fair skin. But her eyes are darkest ebony.

"Lyta" I hear John say as I continually fade in and out of unconsciousness.

Blissfully, I am unaware of an audience using the force to watch from half way across the galaxy.

"So those are 'First Ones'! Such malice, such single minded intent! Such power!

Hmm, our little teacher is not as powerful as first thought. Though, his knowledge of the universe is very profound. I sense great opportunity here. Ha ha ha ha ha." Palpatine still has not learned, else he would not have allowed the power in his maniacle cackle to reverberate so through the force. No, he indeed would not have if he knew that he would prematurely alert _others_ to himself.

At the same precise moment, another too was watching his new teacher.

"Mmmm, powerful and evil, indeed they are."

"Master Yoda, what do you see that troubles you so?" Asks Master Windu.

"Master? Padawan learner is a better description, I think. Now go talk to him I must. Waiting he is."

I had underestimated their observation skills, their ability to learn. They have noted my particular "signature" in the force. With it they followed my departure from their one side of the galaxy to the other. Of greater concern; they learned—each partially—how it was done. Because of each of their particular viewpoints they each see only a portion of the method I use to traverse space using the undertime. Palpatine sees only the push in the force I use to open the door. Yoda only sees the geometric formation of the force I use. To describe my actions as I travel would be like dropping a stone in a pond. Palpatine sees the stone penetrate the water, Yoda sees the ripple effect.

You see those versed in magic understand the physics of the underlying reality, the metaphysics. Fractal forms are everything. Finally, and this is most galling of all, they know how I monitor their actions using advanced magic. It is a combination of scrying, and clairvoyance and reaching into absolute energy. As both Yoda and Palpatine are both aware of it, they can use the same method to eavesdrop on me.

The Jedi lack power, being compelled to passivity by their hidden masters. Sith lack control, likeless compelled by their hidden masters. Each were cut off from their true potential. Well, at least now they are working together…..

"Come in my little green friend, we have much to discuss.."


	5. Deal with the Devil

Thank you to my Beta reader again Lanlelot for making a few changes.

Chapter 5

I came to in a medical lab, with Dr Franklin standing over me and tried to sit up and about the same time I did it felt like my head was explode. I sat back in resignation

"Aaaaah" That was me groaning in pain. It felt like someone had light a thousand watt bulb behind my eyes. I decided to shut my eyes, much better.

"Don't try to move"

"I won't, at least not for a while". I heard a beep sound, and then the doctor spoke.

"Captain, he is awake"

"I'll be right down" was Sheridens reply, sounded like a comlink. I could feel the damage done by the Shadow attack, and my body slowly attempting to heal it. I could feel my consciousness like a small flame inside my body, centred around my abdomen; what the Chinese call the dan t'ien, and Japanese call the hara. The brain does the thinking and the source of all the day-to-day clutter. Have you ever had a moment where time slows down, but it seems that awareness is not centred around the brain? The real control is the 'observer' and this can be trained. It was just this training that allowed me to slow my breathing down, and shrink my consciousness from a flame into a tiny sun. Smaller and smaller I took it. I allowed my magic, and few psychic powers I possessed to flow into this sun to provide further power. As the energy poured into it, it reached 'critical mass' and exploded into life inside my body.

As my consciousness suddenly expanded into my whole body cavity, it carried with it energy, which in turn enabled my body to heal itself. Brain tissue, blood, fascia were all regenerated at a greatly accelerated pace. As I slowly opened my eyes, allowing them to adjust to new surroundings, my body felt good; although tired. All the alarms stopped making a noise around my bed too, which was good; if it had gone on any longer I would've got a headache.

It was at that point Captain Sheriden walked in accompanied by Michael and Susan.

"How is the patient doctor?"

"He seems fine as a second ago every instrument in here said that his blood pressure, heart beat and just about every other organ started working at 1000 percent above normal" Doctor Franklin said in exasperated tones.

"The machines only just stopped beeping before you came in, it really was quite annoying" I stated matter of factly.

"You should be dead" remarked Doctor Franklin. I hate when medical personnel issue really helpful statements like that.

"I don't think he's human doc" was the first comment out of Michael's mouth.

"I'm not, my physiology is more like a vampires"

"That would explain the readings then" Some doctors just absorb information, and don't bat an eyelid. But then Babylon 5 had been host to all kinds of weird crap over the last few years.

"Are you telling us now that vampires, the whole fang thing exist?"

See what I mean about Susan always asking questions?

"Sometimes Susan you are really attractive when you're angry or asking questions that peak your curiosity"

"Hey mister, don't think you'll get around me like that" Oh well worth a try, even if it was true, which is exactly what I said.

"Which part of it is true?" Susan inquired.

"All of it"

"Susan" Sheriden said, as she was about to say something else. "What happened back there, Lyta said something about the Shadows attacking"

"They did. They also never travel alone like a Vorlon. Usually in two's or threes"

"We couldn't see anything out of the ordinary" said Michael interrupted.

"What about you Susan, what did you see and hear?" I asked.

"Nothing. Really" she said defensively, crossing her arms.

"Surely you heard a scream in your head, most do"

"Why would I hear a scream? I didn't hear a damn thing" she replied, and I could see the small pulse in her neck speed up and quicken, smell the release of pheromones indicative of lying. How was I able to do this? Remember I said we heal like a vampire, well we also have similar senses.

"What happened?" asked John.

"Two groups of Shadows attacked me from hyperspace, which isn't really supposed to be possible except in rare occurrences. If it wasn't for your friend I would be dead"

"We didn't even know Lyta could do that, she is currently restricted to her quarters and under guard till we know more"

"She's psychic, and probably tampered with" I replied.

"By whom" asked Susan

"Didn't she go to the Vorlon homeworld?" Michael said in those very hushed tones, with that whisper of violence.

"That's right she did" John said clicking his fingers, "they must have done it"

"They took her off your scale, beyond what you would call a P12"

"Beyond a P12? I didn't know that was even possible" remarked Susan

"I don't think Psi Corps even know it is" replied Michael.

"I suggest we keep it that way" said John.

I grabbed hold of the bed and swung my legs off and onto solid ground. I would have said terra firma, but I'm not sure that applies on space stations.

"Whoa! Where do you think you're going?" inquired Stephen. Doctors, honestly.

"No offense, but I'm outta here. I have things to do, First Ones to fry!"

"You're seriously suggesting going after them? Maybe you should wait a few days" John suggested, at just that same instant my legs went all wobbly and I lost my peripheral vision as I could feel unconsciousness start to claim me. My anger started to build again, and I let the 'darkness' take me. The more I embraced it, the stronger I became. Good pomba, the 'Shadows' really did a number on me!

"Get Lyta, I need her" I said grasping onto the bed for dear life. As I pushed off the bed I realised I had left finger and hand marks in the metal.

"Is something wrong?" Stephen asked.

"Yes, and you can't help me. Get Lyta now!"

My surroundings changed and I was on another world, it seemed to be a 'dead'. Craters everywhere. What the frakking hell was going on? I knew it couldn't be real, could it? The 'Shadows' certainly didn't have that power, at least that I knew of. But that was a presumption on my part. I was still in my normal clothes, and had my wrist bands. I could see nothing but craters. I looked around some more, and I was within a large valley, circular and it was miles wide. Wait a minute. The valley was the crater, anything in here the result of smaller charges.

All of a sudden I was surrounded by 'Shadows' appearing out of nowhere, just fading in like their ships. There were dozens of them, and if this was real I was so dead. I tried to feel the 'undertime', but my entrance to it blocked. Frell! That really was new. I reached out with my mind, this was definitely psychic in nature, but my ability muted somehow. I was beginning to understand what they had done. I was still in my own mind, trapped!

They had left a psychic virus behind in my mind, allowing them access to my conscious or sub-conscious anytime they wanted. At a guess they could keep me here indefinitely. I hope Lyta got here soon, as I certainly needed the help. I knew had I been at full strength I could have broken their hold, but I was still very weak. I had cured myself physically, but not mystically. If I ever get out of here, that's the first thing I'll do.

"ADDAD!" the voice said from behind me. I turned around, and above the 'Shadows' was one of their ships, hovering in the air, huge spider legs only two or three meters above the ground.

"ADDAD!"

"I heard you the first friggin' time. No need to shout" I replied. I thought about trying to run, but I was surrounded and didn't think I could outrun a human sized spider with multiple legs, let alone a spaceship; even if it was in my mind.

"You are interfering with our plans. You can either join us or perish". If there is one thing about beings who believe themselves gods, is a penchant for melodrama.

"Well I sure as hell am not going to help you subjugate and bring about galactic war, again"

I was having an idea. If this was a virus, maybe I could cure it, or give myself enough strength to wake up. I closed my eyes, and pictured my consciousness, a flame burning like before. I had never tried this before and never had a reason to, but I guess now was as good as any. I felt a claw slash across my shoulder, drawing blood. They could obvious sense I was up to something. I squeezed my consciousness into that small sun again. This time I took it further, and further; until, I created a quantum collapse in my conscious mind.

SLASH!

STAB!

They really wanted to keep me in here.

STAB!

I opened my eyes, and could see that two 'Shadows' had impaled me with their claws.

"You cannot fight us, the weak shall perish" said 'Shadow' one in front of me.

"You do not understand your role in all of this. You must fight because we will it, die when instructed" that was from 'Shadow' two behind me. I couldn't look due to being stuck in place by two huge claws.

"Even your race will be included in this, all of them" said 'Shadow' three to my right.

"We have despatched ships to cleanse your planet, it will not die by fire but by famine and plague" remarked 'Shadow' four to my left.

"JOIN US TO SAVE YOUR RACE" came a voice from the ship, "OBEDIANCE"

I had had quite enough of this. I closed my eyes, tightly this time.

"LISTEN" I heard vaguely. My consciousness shrank, to the metaphorical equivalent of a white dwarf star, and continued it's collapse. This next bit would either kill me or free me. Then my mind suffered catastrophic collapse into the mental equivalent of a black hole, which was destroying this world that I was standing on, and I could feel the 'Shadows' trying to free themselves and get away or be destroyed. One by one I could sense they left my mind, and yet I continued on, absorbing everything into myself. It was then I could sense 'her', Lyta. Her psychic power made me look childish, but my magics more than made us even in the 'real world'.

"Come back" I heard. I could feel a psychic pull of someone close by. The 'Shadows' were gone.

"Yes. Help me" I though back.

"You must release the darkness you hold"

"I can't"

"Try, I will help you" the being thought. I concentrated and let all my anger drain away, but my wounds hurt so much.

"They aren't real, open your eyes" I tried to open my eyes, and found my injuries gone. She had healed me. I stood upon this 'dead' world, and realised it was all symptomatic of what they had done to me, it was a psychic virus. I looked around and knew this wasn't real. My energies were low, and as soon as I could fully recharge I would become the god of storm and tempest I once was, lightening will flow at my command and strike down my enemies. Yet at the thought of fighting the 'Shadows' I felt a slight glimmer of fear.

I woke up on the medical bay bed again. I saw Lyta standing above me, her eyes were the colour of ebony.

"Do not try to move" Lyta said.

"Captain, we must take a ship and go to the Coruscant; battle plans must be drawn"

"We can't go anywhere. Too much is going on here. A whole Narn outpost has just been destroyed"

"Why can't they come here" asked Susan.

"I guess they'll have to, but you need to send them a message"

"How are you feeling?" asked Stephen.

"Like I just got run over by a huge super tanker". At that Michael just grinned.

"Think yourself lucky, you could've sat through one of Londo's jokes".

"What happened?" Asked John, "Lyta said that they had implanted you with a replicative suggestion, a sort of virus"

"Yeh they did, it's still there at the minute. I'm not sure how to purge it though"

"Lyta, can you do anything" John inquired.

"It might damage his mind, plus I sense he is too weak at the minute"

"When did I become a weakling?"

"Since you were overpowered by the 'Shadows'" Susan said.

"Twice" said Michael holding up two fingers.

"Frak off!" I replied as articulately possible.

"How long will he need to be bed bound?"

"A good two or three days, maybe more. I'd say a week to be on the safe side". Now that was just taking frelling biscuit! I sat up, and felt completely fine.

"You need to rest, once you're fit we can try to get rid of the suggestion they left inside your mind" Great! I lay back down on the bed and passed out almost instantly.

Across the galaxy, two figures had long finished a conversation.

"Overpowered again, he really is not as strong as first thought. Tiredness is the key. Physically he is very strong, mentally he is weak. Next time…." thought Palpatine

On his little futon, Master Yoda wrinkled his brow, one part in concentration, the other in concern for their new 'teacher'.

"Like Palpatine he is, relies solely on power, and his additional understanding.

Control and mastery he must learn" thought Yoda, and shook his head in disappointment.

I woke up. The lights were turned down, must be 'night time'. I started to stand, and felt well rested. I closed my eyes, and concentrated on Master Yoda. I could sense him, feel his connection the 'force', he was stronger than I ever thought possible. Good pomba. He would truly exceed me, I was sure of it.

"Master Yoda"

"Awake you are. A relief it is"

"You could see and hear all of it"

"Power you have. Control you do not. Aware of your situation I am. Two ships we will take"

"Why not one?"

"A presence we must show. Relations build I will"

"You don't trust the Chancellor"

"The truth now we know. Sith in mind still is he"

"So all he can think of is power?"

"Sad it is from you he has not learnt"

"When will you leave?"

"What are you doing!" shouted Stephen cutting off my connection to Yoda.

"Getting up, and going to do something useful"

"I don't think so". I was about to enter the 'undertime' and thought better of it. I didn't want to chance that the 'Shadows' had somehow scrambled my senses and 'breaking out' into deep space would be bad. I walked around Stephen, moving faster than he could react and was out of the door before he could use his comlink.

Just as the doors closed I heard it chirp, but I was in the corridor. Unfortunately for me, I had no idea where anything was around here. So I was walking down a few corridors. Eventually I found a lift, and entered it. Inside it was a Centauri, with the large hair that was fashionable for them.

"Are you ambassador Mollari"

"Six months ago hardly anyone knew my name. Now everyone wants to be my friend. I wanted respect. Instead I have become a wishing well with legs" he answered irritably.

"I just wondered, nothing more. We've never met"

"I know that! You I would have remembered"

"What have I got a distinctive face"

"Now that is a very interesting question. To be honest all you humans look alike to me"

"I'm not human"

"Really, you could have fooled me"

"Then I guess I did, cos I'm really not. Where are you going to?"

"The Brown sector"

"Can I get to Captain Sheridens office from here?"

"Only those in trouble, or in need of favour go to Sheridens office. Which are you? Maybe there is something I can do for you?"

"Just directions would be fine" I said. I could sense a Vorlon nearby. This was shaping up to be a fantastic day! I did not want to fight with a Vorlon in a lift. Unleashing the 'thunderbolts of hell' in an enclosed space would not be good, it was a very long way down and only the Seraphim can fly.

"Get off with at Brown 12, and then the next lift up"

"Is that the next stop?"

"Yes, is there someone you need protection from, something I could do to guarantee your safety" I could sense that the Vorlon was waiting at the next stop on the lift. Dpubtless he could sense me too.

"How are you with Vorlons?"

"Now that my friend is something I cannot help you with. What have you done that could possibly anger a Vorlon; better yet I do not want to know." Oh well, time to meet another First One. I linked my bracelets just in case. As the doors opened, the Vorlon was there. I remembered that his name was Kosh. But a Vorlon was Vorlon to me, and dead they should all be. I was now thinking like Master Yoda; was that a good thing?

"Ambassador" said Londo and walked out. Well come along, and I will show you the way" I noticed as I made my way out of the lift the iris on Kosh's eyepiece opened more, although I never turned my back on him.

"Stop!" he commanded. Frelling brilliant! I decided to try and play dumb, and hope I would get away with it, doubtful, but worth a shot.

"Yes ambassador" I said in my best neutral tones.

"You, what is your kind doing here" It was not so much a question as a statement.

"Out for a stroll with the Centauri ambassador. Got to go, see you later" I said and tried to make a retreat from another fight.

"Hold" he said and directed telekinetic energy at me. Luckily for me, Ieldra are so similar to vampires that I bounced off the wall and landed on my feet.

"Is there a reason you did that Vorlon" I said. Psychically I might not be all that, but in the 'real world'; well that was another matter entirely.

"Leave"

"Why don't you frelling make me" I said taking a step back, and bringing the bracelets closer. Kosh obviously knew what was about to happen next.

"You would attack me"

"Better believe it Vorlon. Today is one day I didn't want a fight, now I'm willing to blast you and that suit of yours to shreds" I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"He is just jesting ambassador, let me take my friend and we will be out your way" Mollari said in exasperated tones. As I turned to look at Londo, I was pushed towards the wall again, but managed to get a hand up to ward off the attack. Lodon went wide eyed at this.

ZZAP! As I managed to get a shot off with one bracelet. A lightening bolt hit Kosh right in the middle of his suit, and knocked him three feet backwards. There was a slight blackening of the suit, nothing more.

"Do you want to continue this Vorlon, or leave it?" I asked. Kosh just turned around and went into the lift. I made sure my mental barriers were up.

"Well I have never seen that kind of technology"

"All of my race wears them that travel offworld. Luckily for him I only got one shot"

"He would have killed you"

"Not likely, if linked they will blow a Vorlon out his suit with one shot"

"Do you have any extra, or able to get bulk? Maybe we could arrange some kind of deal, mmm"

"I don't have the energy to go back home at the minute"

"Whereabouts is that exactly. Perhaps the Centauri could come to you" While we were conversing we were walking towards the lift.

"Only if you can go extra galactic. Next galaxy along"

"What above hyperspace technology, or some such. Surely your ship must have something we could bargain for"

"I didn't come here by ship"

"Well you didn't just appear out of thin air"

"Actually that is exactly what I did" I said feeling loads better and chanced the 'undertime' disappearing right before Londo's eyes. Before I 'broke out' in C&C, I observed that I was in the right place, and willed myself to appear.

"Captain, Susan"

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?"

"Nice to see you too Susan" I said, something was just at the edge of my senses, I just couldn't quite get a bead on it. It wasn't a First One, I just wasn't sure what.

"Hi Michael" I said, 'we're all here I see"

"I feel fine, and just had another fight. Bloody Vorlons"

"You seem fine, no holes or bits missing" replied Michael.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. It's been a while since I've had to stretch myself psychically. I've just told some representatives on Coruscant to join us here"

"How, we can't transmit that far"

"I didn't use comms, it was magic"

"Oh, now why didn't I guess that?" remarked Susan sardonically.


	6. Assasination attempt

Chapter 6

The rest of the day went okay, and my strength grew in leaps and bounds. I could feel both Jedi Masters, and the Sith on their way here. If I knew Palpatine, and I did, well after a fashion--you just have to think like a conniving scheming power hungry bastard, and you can't go far wrong!--the Chancellor would be travelling in the ship with the new hyperspace engines, but then who wouldn't?

Any minute now I was going to go down to Medlab, and see if the doctor had anything for a headache, cos I had a doozy on the way. The feeling had been growing since the incident of the unknown presence. Then my senses exploded as I could detect Vorlons, plural. Multiple of them but not on board the station, they were in spaceships. I reached out with my mind, and felt for their presences. There were four of them! What the hell was going on?

"John you gotta see this" said Susan

"Susan, now what's so important that I should.." as John paused, mouth hanging open.

"Wow! Four Vorlons ships, tell me my eyes aren't deceiving me"

"I sure hope not. What the hell has got them so spooked? Was that you?" John said pointing at me.

"I don't know, although I would probably say yes" I replied.

"They have just docked and closing the hanger bay doors now" Susan remarked.

"Now that is just great, five Vorlons what the hell else could go wrong?"

"Sir, I think you've just jinxed it?" Susan remarked as a huge ship appeared out of nowhere. It was triangle shaped, and almost a mile long. It was Yoda, Mace and the Chancellor, I could sense their distinctive presences. They had arrived and their vessels used a method of transport they termed hyperspace, and was actually a more complex version called a hyperspace conduit. It actually forced hyperspace into a tunnel. A better way would be to think of water forced into a tunnel allowing much faster speeds by both being dragged and pushed by the current.

"Sir, that ship is just over a mile long and doesn't match anything on records"

"That's the Galactic Senate representative I told you about" I replied helpfully.

"We've had smaller ships, but never anything that big. The firepower they're packing!" remarked Susan.

"So we're outclassed again" said John.

"Don't worry they're friendly, mostly"

"Mostly" exclaimed John.

"Your physicists would love to get their hands on the turbo lasers"

"Maybe we could have an exchange" suggested Susan

"Maybe you could suggest it"

"I just might" answered John

"Sir, we're receiving a tight beam communication asking to bring a shuttle on board with their representatives"

"Acknowledge their request, and we'll meet them in ten minutes"

"Yes sir. This is Babylon 5 to the Galactic Senate cruisers, you are clear to bring your crew on board" stated Susan into the communication relay.

"I suppose we should go to meet our guests. Susan are you coming?" said John turning to walk away.

"You bet"

"There really is no need, if you both get within touching distance allow me" I said offering both hands.

"To do what" exclaimed Susan

"Travel my way. Not many humans get to travel like this. Give me your hands" I said and taking both of their proffered appendages as I sidestepped into the 'undertime'.

I stayed in the undertime a few moments, and tried to break out near the Vorlon ships, just out of curiosity and discovered they had either acquired new technology or advanced slightly. I could not get to within 50 meters of their ships. I would need to return home as soon as my strength was fully restored & I would need to warn my people of the possible Shadow attack. But first I would need to get these two cultures communicating.

"Wow, is that what it feels and looks like to travel as you do?" enquired Susan

"Pretty much"

"It's like being underwater only you can breath"

"It was an interesting way to travel" John remarked. The ability of the Vorlons kept going through my mind, their ability to stop me entering their ships from the undertime. That's one of the ways we defeated them last time was drop quantum grenades from the undertime directly into a ship, usually destroying it.

There weren't many species that concerned the Ieldra in two galaxies, except 'the Hand'. They were certainly old, one really wacky theory was that they pre-dated this universe originating in the one before, but no one knew. Another theory was that they were another species of First Ones, but the truth of it was that we just didn't know. All I had to do was deal with a few First Ones, easy right. Right? So far I gotten into a fit with a Vorlon, had my mind screwed with by a load of Shadows; it was not looking rosey from where I was at; but I had backup from Babylon 5, and the Galactic Senate. That should help even the scales in our favour? Well in actuality, probably not. Unless we got hideously lucky, it would probably go terribly wrong, but it was either that or Galactic war run by two First Ones pitting races against one another and no one would be the wiser. They were like two overgrown bullies that needed to taught a lesson. May as well die trying, what's the point in being immortal if you play it safe all the while. It was at this point that Yoda, Mace, and Palpatine were walking out of the shuttle. If I wasn't mistaken, Mace seemed to be watching Palpatine intently, anyone would think he didn't trust a Sith master. Yoda and Mace seemed to wearing their usual robes, but Palpatine was wearing black top of sorts, and a very dark brown robe down to his feet, although the hood was down. I could see that Susan was tense, but Sheriden seemed quite as ease……..

As Senator Palpatine walked down the ramp, both Master Yoda & Windu walked a few steps behind him.

"You must be the Captain of this station?" inquired Palaptine. I knew well that Darth Sidious was aware of his name, but had chosen to allow the John to make initial introductions.

"I am Captain John Sheriden, Captain of Babylon 5, and this is my second in command; Susan Ivanova; and I'll introduce you to my other staff shortly" said John extending his hand.

"As you know I am the Galactic Chancellor Palpatine, and this is" replied Darth Sidious both shaking John's hand, and then Susan's. He then released it and pointed to "Jedi master Windu, and Master Yoda". John shook Master Windu's hand, as did Susan, who also acknowledged him with a nod of her head.

"Captain, Commander" said Master Windu. Neither attempted to shake hands with Yoda, both recognising the futility of doing so with an alien not even three feet high.

"Good to meet you it is. Much to discuss do we have" acknowledged Yoda.

"If you would all follow me, we'll discuss things somewhere quieter". I walked with them all to the lift and we went up to room where the Alliance would meet in future years had I not intervened. The introductions had gone well and nobody had been killed, yet. We were all being civlised sitting around a table talking, that's what adults do isn't it?

"Addad has told us much about you. We never got a reason why President Clark turned the Galactic Senate down for membership" inquired the Chancellor very gently.

"Erm… er" began John, loudly clearing his throat "President Clark has"

"What the Captain is trying to say is that"

"It's okay, it's just that President Clark does not believe that humans and other species should be associating this close with one another. Something previous Presidents have not endorsed." At this Yoda's eyes opened widely, and his ears moved slightly up and outwards.

"A view that Babylon 5 does not share"

"Quite" replied the Senator.

"What about your defensive capabilities should any First Ones attack" asked Jedi Master Windu.

"Our defensive systems are not as sophisticated as yours. However, we are quite capable of defending ourselves".

It is at this point that the other Babylon 5 'senior' officers walked in, accompanied by the races of the Alliance.

"May I introduce, Dr Stephen Franklin, Michael Garibaldi who is in charge of security here on Babylon 5"

"It is an honour to meet you all" said Chancellor Palpatine.

"I will now bring in some of the Ambassadors resident here at Babylon 5" stated the Captain who nodded to Michael who pressed his communication device on his wrist

"Zack, would you show them in now". As the doors opened the alien races from this side of the galaxy walked in.

"I would like to introduce you to Delenn, the head of the Mimbari ruling council."

The introductions continued, as I watched with interest as the major races were introduced one by one.

"I hope you are not forgetting me" announced Londo hurrying in as the doors began to close behind him. Both me and Jedi all sensed the Vorlons at this point, as they were on the station.

"May I also introduce Lyta Alexander" continued John using his authoritative voice. I could tell he wanted to say more, but I suspected some of the others were not aware of how powerful a psychic Lyta actually was. I tuned out at this point as they were discussing trade agreements and technology exchanges. Something was just beyond my reach, a presence or presences were hiding from me. The Jedi could sense it too, and I could see what looked like worry in Lyta's facial expression. Her brow was furrowed, eyes narrowed, in fact I would almost say a grimace. It was at this point her eyes turned black, and I don't mean the outside; the pupils, irises and the whites; the whole lot, black as the void of space.

"They are here! The others, Shadows. Another. One who is many approaches" boomed Lyta, as her legs gave way, turning to jelly despite her body's protest to remain standing. I couldn't sense jack shit! Both Yoda, and Mace pushed their chairs back, the latter drew his lightsaber and turning it on. The Chancellor let go of his 'official' self and became Darth Sidious in an instant.

"Someone is here, who attempts to cloud our judgement" stated the former the apprentice of Darth Plagueis' the Wise, anger and rage taking over his visage. I could feel like a fog over my mind, and concentrated my mind to expel the foreign influence. Everyone else was obviously under the influence, and were oblivious to effects.

"In this room they are" remarked Master Yoda.

"I cannot sense a thing except danger" replied Master Windu. I wouldn't like to fight Mace in lightsaber duel; he was supposed to be one of best vaapad masters about. My mind was beginning to clear. It was then I knew what I was looking for.

"Look for anywhere in the room where light shimmers" I started to say, and was hit by a telekinetic force throwing me across the room, into a table and chairs. All the Jedi turned as one, both Yoda, and Darth Sidious ignited their lightsabers, Garibaldi drew his PPG, and looked around room trying to find something to aim it at.

ZZaap! Zzzap! As Garibaldi's PPG fired twice at an empty space, leaving burn marks on the wall.

All of a sudden the air 'rippled' around Lord Sidious, and before he could turn or move something penetrated his chest with a loud wet sucking sound, followed by a sound like fabric being cut as, what I presume was a large bladed weapon being dragged across his chest to make a bigger wound. He fell to the floor, mortally wounded, blood flowing like a large stream. Dr Franklin was coming out of his stupor, and ran to Darth Sidious side to take a pulse. The wound was already healing before the doctors eyes as they bulged and widened in surprise.

I knew Darth Sidious would soon recover. I could see a 'ripple' or rather a 'shimmer' elsewhere in the room, not too dissimilar to what you get above a hot object. What concerned me was that I could not magically sense the creature at all. My Ieldra bracelets would not 'lock' onto a target for some reason, something must be confusing the psychic circuitry, so I went for another tactic, the wall behind the 'shimmer'. I fired and the bolt of electricity was absorbed, presumably without ill effect. Just as Mace Windu jumped into battle the 'shimmer' was gone blending into the background.

All of a sudden the illusion became a 'solid' being behind Mace. An alien I had never seen before. It, or rather he was unmistakably male, being eight feet tall with grey skin, with white hair in dreadlocks down past the shoulders. It had forehead ridges along the temple and dressed in all in black slightly reflective fabric and I was betting it was armoured. It also had a silver face mask, so it probably didn't breathe our atmosphere naturally. I still couldn't sense it's presence though, magically or psychically. It must be affecting mystical senses somehow. Frak!

This creature ignited a lightsaber with a speed that belied it's size and attacked Mace, just as Yoda joined in to lend aid. Garibaldi fired several shots of his PPG, all of which hit the alien in back with no effect, not even a burn mark. I made silent plea to the Pre-Entities for success, and hoped the Jedi would prevail in a battle I was not skilled enough to enter.

This alien turned so fast it was almost a blur and somersaulted above Mace's head severing his hands in the process with a swift lightsaber cut putting a barrier between it and Yoda. As Yoda tried to jump around, it cut Mace again across the midsection; probably mortally unless something was done to help.

I 'flashed' across the 'undertime', also known as a combat teleportation, to the spot where Mace was. Suddenly I could feel the alien draining all magical and psychic energy, that is why it was impossible to sense and harder to fight. Being this close to the 'alien' would constantly drain a Jedi making them tired and prone to mistakes. I grabbed Mace's shoulder and leg and went straight to the infirmary, dropping him onto a bed. I 'flashed' back to Dr Franklin and grabbed him and left him at Mace's bedside and quickly returned to the battle scene.

May the Pre-Entities preserve me! Darth Sidious was pissed, not slightly angry like a bunch of hornets, or an elephant mother who has just seen a crocodile attack it's baby. Angry, as in raving lunatic! I could see lightening arcing between the Sith Lords teeth. I could tell the alien was surprised by his re-emergence into the battle and the power being displayed, fighting to keep it's upper hand.

The alien was a natural warrior, and could probably keep a Shapeshifter at bay unarmed, which is saying something. It was also using two lightsabers to fight with, but Yoda's diminutive stature and leaping was causing it problems.

All of a sudden the alien's eyes went black in the same was as Lyta's, and I could feel it's magical and psychic ability. It telekinetically 'hit' the Sith Lord knocking him ten feet away smashing his head against a table, temporarily killing him. This was not going as planned.

I fired again with my bracelets hitting the creature. Garibaldi fired his PPG again, both sets of energy hit the creature harmlessly. I concentrated magically on the creature and tried to befuddle it's senses, slow it down. As soon as the spell reached the target, I felt it be absorbed. In short nothing happened. Had I been outdoors I could have altered the chemical composition of soil to mud or quicksand. Altering the chemical composition of an alloy is very difficult.

Yoda continued to battle on and I could see the effect the magical drain was having on him. I picked up Mace's lightsaber, igniting it in one fluid motion and was about to join the fray and realised I couldn't. The drain was empowering the alien all the more; whatever it took, it used on itself. Frelling hell!

It's lightsaber strokes, and footwork were increasing too fast for Yoda to keep up. Just as Yoda was about to cut it with a lightsaber, it telekinetically held him in place and struck at his lightsaber, knocking it out his hand to tumble uselessly onto the floor. I could see the magical energy drain had taken it's toll, injunction with sheer size, bulk and strength overcoming the little Jedi masters hold on his weapon. The large alien extended a metal wrist blade from his left wrist penetrated Yoda arm, and he cried out in pain.

"Aaaargh!" The alien twisted the blade, severing Yoda's hand. Yoda's pain must have been immense. The alien 'sheathed its other lightsaber and white energy claws extended out of it's right hand to penetrate Yoda's chest.

I could feel the creature draining him of life, the other two Jedi Masters were wounded, and I struck by 'linking' the bracelets I wore. The 'thunderbolts of hell", looked like lightening bolts the colour of blood. The combined volley hit some kind of force field surrounding the alien, creating a harmless lightshow.

Darth Sidious was beginning to rise, his head wound healed. I wish I could heal like Immortals. I felt the life of Yoda, flicker and die. I fired again and again, Garibaldi using his PPG to add fire. The creatures force field held. I was about to slip into the 'undertime' and risk retrieving Yoda right there when someone else seem to blur from nowhere, standing right in front of the alien. He seemed human, having the right number of limbs, dark hair, and from a side profile almost like a Roman nose.

Anger and hatred that made even Darth Sidious backup emanated from this new arrival, the air shimmered with it and Quickening. The alien turned and attempted to cut the new arrival with a lightsaber, who for his part just moved out of the way almost like the cut didn't exist and severed the creatures right wrist with a metal sword. The alien sought to grab him, and he just knocked the wrist aside, as you would a child trying to touch something hot, like a fire. The 'humans' next cut was inhumanely fast and blurred, severing the head from the creature. The signals from the brain to the body also severed as it's legs collapsed and bright green blood spouted all over.

Lyta was standing again, eyes black, "The one who is many. Death upon a pale horse".

"Sometimes Addad, things are not all they seem" and he turned to face me.

"Methos!" I exclaimed.

The ancient Immortal walked to the Yoda's dead form and placed his hand upon his chest. Within seconds Yoda sat up, in great wracking coughs.


	7. First Ones Manipulation Unveiled

Chapter 7

The other Jedi and the Sith noticed the difference immediately. Power such as Mace Windu never imagined rolled off him. Darth Sidious knew exactly what he faced now. And to paraphrase Yoda "Like it he did not." Yoda's form now fairly sang with the force, with life. Such is the power of a…Immortal.

I saw Yoda's hand heal and regrow

"What the..!" Darth Sidious remarked. The others were beginning to fall out of their induced stupor, and although they had seen everything the magic used had compelled them to remain inactive. Susan had attempted to free herself, and yet Sheridan had been unable.

"Methos, what the hell are you doing here?" I said.

"I decided to see a friend of mine"

"How, none of your kind are able to travel as I do"

"Most cannot, but they will learn. Just as he will be able to soon" remarked Methos pointing at Darth Sidious. I noticed that Garibaldi was pointing his PPG at Methos.

"He a friend of yours?" inquired Michael raising an eyebrow.

Now I know what you're all thinking at this point, how did Garibaldi free himself of influence so quickly? Well, in my personal professional opinion apart from a penchant for violence. He was just nuts; bordering psychotic which I think helped a great deal.

"Sort of an associate, we've known each other for, er..."

"Years" Methos finished for me.

"That doesn't really explain who or what you are" exclaimed John rising from his seat.

"My thoughts exactly" said Susan.

"He is the one who is many" echoed Lyta, her eyes now normal.

"What does that mean exactly?" asked John, using a very quiet voice that seemed to echo throughout the room.

I noticed that Yoda at this point, was starting to recover his normal faculties, although Methos had never moved from his side.

"Perish I did".

"We need to talk elsewhere, somewhere more private" said Methos, and although his comment was directed to Yoda, the whole room took heed.

"I quite agree, and want to know what the hell is going on in my station" said John, beginning to raise his voice.

"Everybody out!" shouted Michael.

"I do not care for your tone Mr Garibaldi, or to be left in dark"

"I for one agree with Mollari, although it pains me to admit it" stated G'kar, although the second part of the sentence was almost a whisper.

"There could be another one of those things out there" retorted Londo, worry in his voice.

"Enough!" shouted the Captain. "Everyone out, no exceptions" as everyone filed out leaving us, and 'core' Babylon 5 personnel. "Delenn, I want you to stay" he said. The captain took a breath, and you could see it in his eyes; as though a thousand thoughts had occurred in a single heartbeat and a course of action decided.

"Stephen, can you find out what that thing was? Michael I need you a find out what you can about its weapons and technology. Susan I need you to quieten things down as much possible, just for the minute while we gather facts".

At this point lightsabers were sheathed, and a very strange thing happened, Darth Sidious became Chancellor Palpatine once more. It is hard to describe, almost like his features changed but they didn't; he became another person. The ultimate ability of any espionage agent, to take on the persona of someone else in a heartbeat, it went beyond acting or copying; including both mannerisms and thought patterns.

As the room quietened down, and people came and removed the body, we waited in an eerie silence, not a slight silence in which you could hear a pin drop; but the total silence of space. It was as if the universe was taking a breath and waiting for the outcome to decide how it would react.

"Let's all sit down and tell me what is going on, Addad".

"I don't know. I've known Methos for millennia"

"What are you? You took on a creature as though it wasn't there" asked John.

"I've fought worse"

"That doesn't really answer his question" remarked Michael whose tones were bordering on dangerous, which Methos completely ignored. If they only knew what Methos was capable of, 'Death on a pale horse'.

"Sometimes in life, all you are ever left with are questions". Typical bloody Methos! Always was secretive, it was one thing I hated about him and one of the reasons he had never become a friend.

"I need to speak to Yoda and the Chancellor alone" said Methos.

"Is there something you can't tell the rest of us?" asked Delenn.

"Questions I have"

"If you have important information, then I would be most interested to hear what you have to say" replied the Chancellor. I could see what was going through Methos's mind, does he take on more students. In truth, his last student, Mark Sabat(--see my fic 'The Truth'), had turned out rather well from all accounts and was just over 1000 years old and did a lot of high level Government intelligence and black ops work for both US and British. If Methos was going to 'spill the beans' I certainly wanted to hear what he had to say.

"Captain, if I go with Methos, I'll meet you in your office in two hours and swap intel? I suspect, He, knows exactly what's going on" I said directing my gaze to Methos.

"Let me know what you can" Said the Captain in my direction.

"I will"

"Can you walk" asked Methos of Yoda.

"Try I will" replied Yoda picking up his walking stick.

I expected all of us to teleport somewhere, but Methos just walked towards the door and expected us to follow. The life energy coming from Yoda was immense, while both Methos and Palpatine veiled their power and energies. We walked out of the door and around a couple of corners; I could hear Londo Mollari talking to G'kar.

"Come one G'kar, surely you can see the foolishness of this"

"Only you Mollari could be so pigheaded to think you can change things"

"And you Londo so stubborn to refuse change……." And then their conversation faded beyond even my hearing range.

I had no idea if Methos or the others were trying to 'turn up' their hearing, I just couldn't be bothered to try sense it. I was more concerned about the dead would be attacker and any First Ones moving against us.

"If perhaps we knew where we were going" asked the Supreme Chancellor.

"That would make it for those that would follow us" Methos replied without even looking over his shoulder.

"We're being followed" I exclaimed. Yoda at this point looked around, his expression being one of concern

"Sense anything I don't". Methos canted his head sideways like a predator sensing or sniffing for prey.

"Not conventional tracking, highly technological" said Methos walking to a door which opened for him. We just followed him and the door closed behind us.

"Now" said Methos locking the door, "Chancellor, do you have any idea what you are? Why you have lived as long as you do, or why you heal? Has Addad told you?"

"No. Only that there are others like us, and he is another like me"

"Been spreading deception again Addad, I'm amazed you and the Ieldras don't tire of it"

"Surely Methos, you're the king of subterfuge and deception. Or was that until one of the 'Highlanders' learnt one your many secrets"

"You don't know the half of it Addad. I've never actually encouraged worship of any kind, the same cannot be said for your race" said Methos slowly raising his voice. He continued, "What do you know of the elders of your race, Yahweh, Zeus, Vishnu and others? Their true ages?"

"Nothing really. All reports are classified and only hearsay and stories"

"Secrets are kept for specific reasons. The young ones are not able to understand or appreciate the bigger picture"

"How dare you Methos! You are barely six millennia, if you're lucky. Zeus must be almost one hundred millennia"

"If you say so Ieldra" Methos spat. The disdain in his voice was evident.

Yoda and the Chancellor had been watching this exchange with interest, the former's ears raised in certain areas of the argument. Surely he cannot be implying he is as old as the most powerful of the Ieldra? But he was. That would mean that I had been told lies, and the truth kept from me, or was Methos lying? Why? Why?! Was there some secret so terrible it had to be hidden?

_I had so many questions!_

"Chancellor, both you and Yoda are Immortals, with a capital 'I'. There are other immortals, but that is always lower case 'I'. Chancellor you have been Immortal for approximately one thousand years", at this 'fact', Yoda's eyes opened wide and his ears lifted up slightly. Methos rubbed his chin, almost like he was thinking or structuring how he was going to explain everything and then continued.

"Most of the time, the individual dies first and returns from the dead, sometimes not"

"Why does it happen?" inquired Palpatine.

"No one knows" replied Methos abruptly. "We have an immune system that destroys all impurities and toxins that would damage our system, but allows food to nourish us. We do not age, and cannot die; except by decapitation. This is the clincher by the way. If one Immortal kills another they take the losers Quickening"

"Energy this is?" asked Master Yoda. His insight into truth and knowledge was scary at times!

"The winner takes this energy, gaining all the losers power and knowledge"

"Abhorrent this is. Lead to the darkside it will" remarked Yoda as he sighed. I could almost see in my minds eye the Chancellor mentally rubbing his hands together, plotting more ways to gain power; Yoda probably being the first on his 'hit' list.

"Beware though, Immortals can and do challenge one another to combat. This must traditionally be one on one, although some have & will continue to break this rule"

"Are these rules of honour or is there another reason for them?" asked the Chancellor.

_Typical Sith, forever trying to find ways to usurp and gain power. _

"Mostly rules of necessity as befit the time, which have now become tradition. Should you die by anything but decapitation, the death will be short lived; if you'll pardon the pun" said Methos smiling at his own joke "as you will heal and return to life"

"Immortal we have become, keepers of knowledge we are" acknowledged Yoda.

"That's a bit profound" stated the Chancellor, "we are here to rule". I personally had no idea why Immortals existed, immortality yes; but Quickening I really had no idea about.

"There is one rule that cannot be broken, _ever_" said Methos emphasising the last word. "You cannot fight on holy ground. You will sense when you are near or on it as the electricity of life discharges and disperses into the ground."

I knew they couldn't fight on holy ground, never the reasoning behind it.

"Why does this stop us fighting there" asked the Chancellor

"When this energy is mixed with a Quickening it can have unpleasant side effects"

"Such as?"

"Volcano's erupting, Islands sinking that kind of thing" said Methos looking in my direction, "Pompeii for instance".

Good pomba. Was he seriously implying that a Quickening on holy ground could cause that kind of damage? Frelling hell!

"Can you both feel a 'buzz' when around each other and me? Well that is the Quickening". The Chancellor became Darth Sidious in an instant, lightsaber drawn and swinging for Methos's neck while his back was turned. Yoda's lightsaber met Darth Sidious's in a lightening fast counter. I never even saw Methos move or blur. Methos was already behind Darth Sidious, Ivanhoe against the Sith Lords neck.

"If he chooses to challenge me" Methos said directing his comments to Yoda, "you cannot interfere".

Yoda stepped back putting away his lightsaber in the process.

"It would appear that you have me" said Darth Sidious turning, using magic or 'force', the terminology matters not, to increase his speed.

Methos just casually blocked the lightsaber with his sword. The lightsaber should have cut the sword in two, but it didn't, impossible! What happened next terrified me to my very soul, if I have one! Methos's became what I would imagine to be Death incarnate. I have never seen him like this. The power radiating off him was extra-ordinary and made me feel weak by comparison. His gaze threw Darth Sidious against the wall, pinning him there; lightsaber dangling from his hand.

"_**DO NOT EVER TRY THAT AGAIN**_" were the words that came from Methos's mouth. You know I used the 'demon voice' against Darth Sidious earlier in my tale; however, this put my attempt to shame. His voice would have drowned out the explosions, and had more base than any hip hop clubs I've been to. I never knew Methos was capable of such power. Remind me never piss him off anytime soon.

"Yes Master" replied Darth Sidious bending at the knee and bowing before Methos. Yoda looked on with amazement.

"Darth Sidious, you have the most Dark Quickening I have seen in a long while; and you Master Yoda radiate as much Light Quickening as Darius used to, were he still alive"

"Opposites of each other we are"

"So it would seem my little green _friend_" stated the Sith Lord, almost spitting the last word through clenched teeth. Methos for his part just walked towards the door which opened.

"Methos! Wait up will ya" I shouted and ran after him, leaving Yoda and a Sith Lord in the same room. "Are you sure that's wise leaving them in the same room together?"

"They both know the consequences of fighting. I can't stop them if they chose to continue their foolishness"

"Yoda was never a Pre-Immortal. What did you do?" I asked with an urge of irritation in my voice. "Methos!" I said grabbing him by the shoulder and turning him around. "You made him Immortal somehow didn't you? Didn't you!"

"Okay, yes I did; and maybe just a little bit more"

"What do you mean?" I asked imperiously.

"I also gave him some of my Quickening"

"You gave him Quickening. That's supposed to be impossible".

Methos began to walk off and turned back to look at me. There was a moment of silence between both Methos and me, and I could see some conflict within him. His chest rose and finally fell with a loud exhale. Finally he gave me a look of complete sadness; like his best pet had just died and was at a complete loss what to do next.

"I'm sure you've guessed that the creature had been magically and psychically augmented by the Shadows?"

"I knew it had, just not by whom"

"First Ones, unable to use magic have found ways around the situation. They have technology allowing them to hamper others use of it. That's why your friends lost their fight. They had grown to rely on it too much"

"What!" I exclaimed, a little too loudly as 'traffic' that was walking by decided to stop and stare. "Surely Darth Sidious should have prevailed?"

"I doubt he's had a serious, if any challenges at all. He's got too used to using magic to win and not inherent skill" said Methos, 'changing' in a manner more profound that Darth Sidious. So many identities, layers of personality must exist and he became someone else and walked off.

I could feel my strength returning and decided to go home to warn my people that we would be attacked the First Ones, but first I had to tell Sheriden some of the recent changes as I had promised.

I appeared in the middle of C&C.

"Hi folks" I said and explained about Immortals and Quickening. Sheriden, Garibaldi & Susan were all quick to take in the details and seemed amazed that such a being could exist.

"You mean he steals their souls?" asked Susan. Typical of her to find some religios fixation.

"How many has this Methos killed" asked John.

"No one knows, probably thousands and that's being generous. But if you mean like all combined; who knows. He saw the fall of Rome and innumerable wars"

I closed my eyes and visualised where I wanted to go, and entered the 'under-time' once more, journeys are almost instantaneous. I expected to 'break-out' at home for a quick change of clothes, but what I saw before me was not my homestead. I was in some huge underground chamber, complete with stalagmites and stalactites; the smell of damp overwhelming and I could hear dripping many meters to my left. The sound was not like water hitting a hard surface; but that hollow echo you get when of a drip hitting a larger body of water like an underground lake. My eyes are like a vampires and adjusted to the darkness, and I decided to cast a spell called 'globe of light'. This resulted in a small sphere the size of a football appearing above my hand creating daylight for about 100 hundred meters. I could now see a tunnel up ahead, and knew not where it leads. _I hope there are no 'lions, tigers, or bears'_. I manage to avoid tripping over, many years of training and experience take over, my eyes constantly sweeping the darkness beyond my magic for movement or danger. I walk into the tunnel and enter a combat crouch, cross stepping as I move, my senses now hyper aware. I see writing on a wall, it must be hundreds of millennia old; and know it for the script of the Pre-Entities. I can hear voices, 'humanesque' in nature; I can almost recognise some of them.

"Addad is that you?"

Immediately I see an imposing figure walking through the darkness, almost 6'4", with long hair. He walks in the sphere of light, it is Thor, his handsome features show anger and resentment; yet happiness at seeing me alive. He was another one of my species once worshipped like me as a god of thunder.

"Tis me old friend. What am I doing here?"

"The Council have somehow stopped any others appearing on the planet surface"

"Why? What is wrong?" The urgency in my voice evident.

"The Shadows attacked us. Millions are either dead or dying; a highly infectious disease spreads like wildfire!"

"I'm too late! I would have warned you all, but I was too weak to travel"

"You must tell the Council everything. Come and follow me" as he disappeared into the 'under-time' and followed his trail. So I entered the hidden transportation medium of the universe, apart of Akira, or absolute energy. We 'broke out' at the same time just outside a huge black door. This door positively 'dripped' with age, older than anything I had ever seen. It looked like a black crystal of sorts, but I could not identify it.

"Wow. How?" I started to say.

"Open says me" said Thor.

"Where are we?" I asked as the door shimmered into non-existence. I could see inside, and Council members sat around a table that appeared to be made of the same material as the door, before it vanished, and they were not happy. Before me were the greatest of our race, the great thunderer Zeus, the great destroyer Shiva, Ea also known as Enki, the master of secrets & master of wisdom and knowledge, Odin the rune master; and the ruler of them all, head Council Member- Yahweh. All wore Ieldra combat suits with side arms and combat bracelets; and carried quantum grenades. Their faces showed anger. Yahweh spoke first; his white hair now cut short for combat, with a neat trimmed white beard. His handsome features would exceed that of any human Hollywood star.

"Addad"

"Yes masters" I said bowing my head.

"You carry the physical stench of Vorlons, and the psychic abomination of the Shadows. Why?"

"I was trying to unite both Babylon 5 and the Galactic Senate before they created years of civil war"

"We know this" replied Shiva angrily, "tell us something we do not know" he said drumming his fingers on the desk with impatience. I have seen pictures of Shiva, but never up close. He was clean shaven, but I have never realised just how pale he was, imagine a vampire that was blood starved for a week.

"The Shadows attacked me and threatened our destruction". I had so many questions to ask, but I dare not, like… _What is happening to our people? Are the Shadows behind it? Can we stop it?_

"Why did you not return sooner, or were you prevented?" asked Zeus. He looked very similar to Yahweh in many respects but had brown hair and very distinct cheekbones and a definite 'twinkle' or hint of mischief in his eyes; which today was gone and replaced with malice.

"Their attacks left me drained of energy unable to return".

"Very well Addad" nodded Yahweh; "but what else"

"Perhaps if I open my mind for you all to read the recent events"

"Yes, do that!" Yahweh. I opened my mind and I could feel them all scan my recent memories. I even felt one of them laugh at the thought of Methos being there!

"Interesting"

"What is happening to us outside?"

"A nanotechnology virus has been released into the atmosphere by the Shadows. No preternaturals are safe. Many are dead or dying."

"Is there nothing we can do?"

"Even immortals would perish and our combined magics cannot stop this, and we just do not have the technological savvy of any of the First Ones". Silence fell upon the room and I could hear Zeus take deep breath. "They have just been around much longer than we"

"Although, we are thinking about a drastic course of action" stated Yahweh.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked the Head Council Member.

"Release some of the Pre-Entities"

"That's crazy" I shouted, "First Ones fighting each other is a bit drastic isn't it?"

"No, the First Ones were beings new to this cosmos; Lorien being _'the First One'_. The Pre-Entities have another name" and Yahweh turned to look at the others, who each responded with a nod. "The most powerful are called '_the Great Old Ones'_ " said Yahweh. "The lesser ones are called '_Old Ones_'. Both originate from previous universes. We had aid from the First Ones to give them eternal imprisonment a second time around" continued Zeus.

"As eternal as we can make it anyway" said a female voice that had not been there before, it had a strange 'sing-song' quality to it. Standing there in the same combat fatigues as the others was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had long green hair in a ponytail to the middle of her back. You know when women get that healthy tan from being on holiday, she also had one of those too. She looked awesome and I tried to compose myself.

"Are you saying the Pre-Entities originate from universes before this? That's impossible"

"No it is not. They are somehow able to survive the death throes of previous universes". I let this comment pass for the moment while I concentrated on more important things.

"Addad, you will now be made privy to knowledge heretofore restricted to

the Council. Behold." And Yahweh raised a black orb that must be of the same design as the door.

"What is the nature of the weave you are creating?"

"This is a recording of a universe several cycles before ours existed. This is the best way from me to fully answer your question regarding the nature of Pre-Entities. We will show you one."

I become quiet and attentive. This is a rare honour. Not only are they sharing one of their secrets with me, but I am learning a new method to access other realms of reality. I immediately sense their intake of the primordial energy that my race favours. In the presence of others of my kind there is an abundance of that ambient energy. We are sort of organic capacitors and when we gather our powers, individually and en masse, increase. Unlike the entities at 'Gods Command Module' this occurs for us as naturally as breathing. In fact the refreshing and delightful fact is, that when gathered with my fellows, the more we use, the more we gain, as if we were Artesian wells.

I see now a huge entity a hundred feet tall. It was walking upright like a human with an Octopus head and huge bat wings. It was killing little beings running around at its feet with little or no care; like they were insects to it. But all life is sacred! Yes we will kill, but we Ieldra were never mindless about it.

"My lord, that form, that…being. Is that…?"

"Yes, Addad, it would go by many names one of which is Kallulu"

"My Lords!, even through the conduit I can feel his puissance, his power. But

what is troubling is that because of his unique nature I sense no opposing force

to him. Is that why you wanted me to know of the Pre-Entities? That because of their nature we, or anyone else, would be hard presses to oppose them, is it truly wise to unleash such?" I ask as they close the connection.

"In a word, yes and no. Yes, for they would prove quite the distraction for our enemies, no in that it would be…beyond our ability to restrain them again."

I do not answer, though I believe that is the absolute title holder of as the understatement of existence. Attention now turns once again to the regal lady that joined us just as my lesson commenced.

"Gaea. I wondered where the other Council Members were. I believed you dead"

"They are looking for ways to save our people" said the voice of Lady Gaea that sounded like the wind blowing, "searching every nook and cranny of the cosmos. All the hidden places"

_Hidden places!_ I thought. _What hidden places_?

"Such as?" I enquired.

"The Well of Souls for one. I myself have been to the outer parts of this universe searching for the other 'First Ones'" replied Gaia, "but they just cannot be found"

"Why not go to Za'hadum in force to ask for Lorien's aid?" I inquired.

"Because the Shadows may have infected their world"

"Would not Lorien, and others of their planet then be dead?"

"No doubt the nano'bots can be programmed to recognise certain DNA and ignore it" said Yahweh.

_How could I have asked such a stupid question!_

"Besides I'm quite certain one such as Lorien would be quite immune to whatever they can do" stated Gaea in her sing-song voice again.

"Samael has returned with Lillth" said a male voice I recognised. It came from around the corner where I had entered. He too was once worshipped as a god and had long green hair tied into braids all the way to his knees and was wearing a black t-shirt and beige trousers with sandals. Obviously he had been caught 'off-guard'.

"It is good to see you again Addad"

"T'is good to see you too Poseidon". A woman walked from behind Poseidon that I certainly didn't recognise. She was pale with raven coloured hair and piercing green eyes, and following her was Methos!

"What the frelling hell are you doing here!" I challenged.

"They are both Council Members and will be treated with respect" remarked Zeus.

"Who is she? By what right does he have of being in the Council?" I shouted.

"Addad calm down" urged Zeus.

"Samael, Thanatos as he was also known. I believe you would call him Methos is as old as any of us"

"And her" I said pointing. I know it is rude to point in some cultures, ours included but honestly!

_Then the revelation hit me, 'as old as any of us', he truly was more than a mere five millennia. He could he mislead so many people?_

"Just as Methos was the first immortal, Lilith is the first vampire. Although vampires are a somewhat lesser version"

"Vampires are a blood infection that alters certain genes that change the body" she said in a silky yet velvety voice, almost like being wrapped up in chocolate; "for I am Wamphyri!" I had not idea what that was and my face must have shown that.

"A parasite that allows a superior blending of both species of vampire and shapeshifters"

"A hybrid"

"Both vampires and shapeshifters are descended from her" said Zeus "and she too is as old as any of us"

"There are also a few things you don't know about the Vorlons and Shadows" remarked Yahweh.

"I'm sure there is. Can you be more specific" I inquired.

"There used to be various food sources for vampires and shapeshifters. One was a kind of tree called a Bloodsack and a cow Auðumbla. The Bloodsack produced a fruit called blood apples"

"When removed other living sources were required" Lilith finished.

"Frelling hell!"

"It goes far deeper than that" Methos interrupted. "They started 'the game', and hence why immortals battle"

"I….I..I can't believe it" I stammered.

"They are guilty of far more than that" Zeus shouted with a voice like thunder thumping the table, "the Shadows recently gave a machine called Skynet(see my fic 'The Matrix') the ability to timetravel. Helped the Cylons to evolve and threaten our children of Kobol. It ends here". I could have sworn I saw a flash of lightening.

"Easy old friend" Shiva said to Zeus.

_I had certainly had a few revelations today! _I thought to myself hoping I had guarded my thoughts from others.

Zeus at this point turned to Gaia.

"Anything of interest that might help us" Zeus inquired.

"Yes I have found other news that might help" she replied.

"Well?" asked Zeus impatiently.

"Some of our research has survived about using the 'Void' allowing transport far in excess of the undertime"

"What is.." I began.

"It has a slang name beget by the famous Earth physicist whose sigil was infinity"

"What has that got to". I never finished the sentence as Shiva interrupted me.

"It could be called the 'Mobius continuum', which will mean nothing to you. All the younger ones of our race are unable to leave the galaxy using the 'undertime' while the Council Members have no such restrictions. If one can picture a place all you do is open a 'door' and step through"

"Anywhere" I was curious!

"Yes. We believe this may be how the Pre-Entities survived death in previous Cycles" stated Shiva.

"There is something else I've found" said Gaea.

"What is it" asked Yahweh grumpily.

"I have left the human with security, but it would seem he is able to talk to the dead", said Gaia taking a pause, followed by a deep breath and a sigh, "any dead, any species".

I always thought that dead is dead, _end game, very interesting indeed._

"All of us can enter the inner bowels of planets, and the various underworlds. But we all fear the Planetary Dragons-even the Great Old Ones!" remarked Ea, informatively. _I had never known that. _

"Some Great Old Ones died, or came away virtually crippled through one or more strikes of the Dragon". _Good pomba! Dragons could not be that powerful surely?_

"That does not solve one question though- what can this boy do that we cannot?"

"Speak to the Vorlon dead"

"Impossible" shouted Zeus lightening flashing around his countenance.

"Even souls of the dead can be destroyed" remarked Shiva at the same time as Zeus' comment. _I had never learnt so many profound facts in one day! Was I supposed to contribute or something?_

"The energy of First Ones just disperses at death, presumably to oblivion" stated Odin

"This is where we are wrong. I used my telepathy to read his mind while he used his talent; it is 100 percent genuine"

"Impossible!" said Methos standing suddenly, "I have the Quickening, the personalities of all the lost challenges" I have never seen him so animated and vehement to anything. Gaia seemed to ignore Methos' outburst and continued.

"All that would be required is a RNA injection. Or to monitor the energies the boy uses when speaking to the dead in the hope we can copy it" said Gaia finishing her presentation.

"All of us left alive will receive the treatment. If we need to fully vacate this world this will serve us well" said Yahweh.

"Apparently he calls himself a Necroscope"

"Really. Most immortals, vampire or otherwise must be very unpopular with the dead". My remark must come across quite caustic cos if looks could kill I swear Zeus would have zapped me!

_Bring the human in_ was Yahweh's mental communication to security. Before our eyes a boy appeared standing next to Poseidon who was now also in combat gear, the same that we were all wearing. The boy was about 15 years old, had glasses and some spots. My mind screamed _'geek'_. Zeus gave me another hard look, _surely he couldn't have read my mind?_

"Who are you" asked the boy, looking at the Council Members.

"I am Yahweh"

"Isn't that a name for God"

"Tell me about the dead" he commented.

"They live in their graves mostly, they talk to each other and continue doing what they did in life"

"Which is" asked Gaia in the voice that sounded like the wind.

"Artists continue to paint or draw, mathematicians study maths, physicists do physics, architects continue to build structures; all in their head"

"Interesting, most interesting" said Zeus. If mathematicians and physicists continued as they did in life, their theories and formulas must be immense and complicated beyond anything seen.

If my eyes weren't deceiving me, but I'm sure Methos shuddered in fear!

Zeus stood and walked over to me.

"Come" he said and pressed something metal into my skin.

"What was that?" I asked.

"The RNA injection Gaia just mentioned for entry into the Mobius Continuum". Zeus grabbed me and a door appeared before us, and I was dragged through. All I saw before me was blackness, nothing, not even stars. I became aware of a current, like water, and I started to flow forward without moving my legs. A door appeared before me and Zeus pushed me through.

I appeared on a bridge of some spaceship, Zeus was standing next to me. Guards appeared brandishing some kind of guns, I'm guessing 'slug throwers'. They all had blue uniforms on. One man was oldish and bald, his hands shook.

"What the hell! Guards" shouted a bald man in a dark blue uniform.

"Who are you?" asked a man with dark hair and glasses.

"Commander Adama" said Zeus

"Do I know you?" Adama inquired.

"That's Admiral now" said a bald man again.

"My name is Zeus, and this is my underling Addad"

"That's a name for a Lord of Kobol" someone whispered in the background.

"You should leave this sector now" Zeus proclaimed, thunder in his voice.

"Who are you and where did you come from?" asked the bald headed man.

"I am here to warn you that the Cylons will be here imminently"

"How do you know this? He must be a Cylon" said Saul Tigh, otherwise known to me at this minute as the bald man. Zeus raised his hands and let lightening arc from one hand to the other. I've tried this ability and never been able to do it, it takes superlative control.

"Because I am a Lord of Kobol fool!" Zeus spat, "Addad give them the co-ordinates for Babylon 5, Earth is not safe for them at the minute"

"You know where Earth is? How?" asked Admiral Adama in carefully measured tones.

"Addad hurry, the Shadows will be here shortly. I can only confuse them for so long" Zeus stated sweat breaking out on his forehead, lightening continuing to arc from one hand to the other.

"Please here are some co-ordinates" I said handing a datapad, "these will take you to a safe place. If he says the Cylons will be here you should hurry while he holds off far worse"

"Worse than the Cylons. I doubt it" said Saul

"Who are the Shadows?" asked the Admiral.

"They have millions of years of technology at their disposal and can doubtless track you through a jump, hopefully Council Member Zeus will confound them long enough for escape"

"That's true" added Zeus breathing hard at this point, sweat dripping off his nose and chin.

"Millions of years" echoed Saul incredulously.

"How can we trust you?" asked Adama.

"They were one of the first races to be born in this galaxy and they caused the Cylons to evolve"

"Impossible!" was the cynical comment from Saul.

"Hurry" I pleaded. Adama looked at the datapad.

At this point all the alarms went off and a woman on ops advised,

"Multiple incoming, Cylons and a Basestar"

"Prepare to jump to these co-ordinates" advised Adama handing over my pad.

"Sir are you sure?" asked Saul.

"Do it"

"They're here" shouted Zeus in frustration sweat had now saturated his combat tunic.

"Another incoming, complete unknown" she shouted, "appeared right in the middle of the fleet"

"Pass the co-ordinates to the rest of the fleet. The Pegasus jumps first, the fleet then us last. Now jump". In a moment the experience was sudden acceleration was over and I presume we were at Babylon 5.

I won't bore you with the immediate greetings. On the second day of the Colonial fleet being station at Babylon 5 that I saw a curious thing from the C&C window, there seemed to be a huge flash of light from nowhere.

"Sometimes" bellowed Zeus, "I'd wish they'd cut the theatrics" who had concealed his presence ever since his arrival.

"Who are they?" asked Garibaldi looking at me.

"Serephim" I replied.

"That'll probably be Metraton, or Lokum" he answered casually. They were as old we were, unless I had been told lies about that too.

"Metraton? You mean the voice of god?" asked Susan in awe. See what I mean about Susan and the Christian religion?

Suddenly a handsome man with huge white wings tucked into his shoulders appeared. He appeared to normal sized, in this case about six feet tall with green eyes and a powerful physique. He too had on Ieldra combat gear with a gold breastplate covered in runes.

"Lokum" said Zeus nodding at the new arrival.

"Zeus old friend" Lokum said striding forward and clasping forearms. "Where is the one known as Sheriden?"

"Za'H'adum" Zeus replied shaking his head. It was at this point the four Vorlons walked into C&C thinking they would be safe from me by being in larger numbers, they obviously did not count on a Seraphim and Zeus standing there.

"Well well well, what have we here?" Zeus uttered.

"Lookie what the cat dragged in" Uttered Lokum menacingly. Just in case you don't know, Lokum had single-handedly put an Old One to sleep. The four Vorlons took a proverbial step back. This would prove interesting.


	8. First Ones Act

Chapter 8

_G'Quan wrote, "There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope. The death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender." The future is all around us, waiting in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future, or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born… in __pain__: G'Kar_

In the Ieldra haven, and until recently self imposed mental blocks were in place - happily thinking he was only five thousand years old. Methos had recently got all his memories back, _sometimes ignorance is bliss_. Since visiting another race of advanced energy beings called the Dirga, who had helped remove the obstacles blocking his memory_, placed there by me to safeguard my sanity._ The important thing now was the truth, _could see each and every face he'd killed. _

"Desist" came from one of the Vorlons standing before Zeus and Lokum on the C&C deck.

"Or we will destroy you" stated another

"Oh no" said Zeus, the glimmer of malice in his eyes intensifying, "I want to know how to stop this Shadow nano-virus. Once I've done that I'm going to obliterate Zha'Hadum". I swear Lokum looked at Zeus like he was mad, eyebrows raised somewhat.

"Easy old friend, if we battle here, the cross-fire will cause a hull breach and untold innocents could die. Let's pick our battle, but not here"

I could see a dangerous glint in Zeus' eye, then it looked like he obviously understood, both ancient beings strode towards the lift flanking the Vorlons in the process. The tension in the air was like a violin string, one wrong pull and it would all come undone. Suddenly Zeus turned around, purple lightning shot from his hands surrounding the Vorlons like cage.

"Looks like your up shit creek" Zeus said to the Vorlons before grabbing the corner of their cage and disappearing with Lokum. I got pulled along for the ride.

Somewhere deep in Hyperspace, past where any ships would dream of going; a fleet of Shadow ships were busy communicating with others almost thirty thousand light years away.

"If they will not fight each other, we will make them"

"Good is the plan under way?"

"It is. We will bring the galaxy to ruin and wipe the slate clean, damn the weakness of Vorlons!"

"Our plan is unfolding. Another assassin has been sent to despatch the Jedi. Kaine Amedha eggs have been transported to the Senate on Coruscant, beginning the infection of the population. We have sent another ship containing a live Queen Kaine Amedha which is continually producing larvae for gestation in hosts on Naboo!"

"Good" said the Shadow leader, the visible ripple of energy visible beneath the surface, "And?" it asked pointedly.

"A ship was sent unobserved to the Yuuzhan Vong, The Supreme Overlord has been given hyperspace technology and told to alter their course trajectory to Kashyyyk and informed to destroy the warrior races in this galaxy"

Somewhere in another dimension, a place unknown to even the Shadows; was a ship in the shape of a cross. It glowed with unearthly light and orbiting it like electrons were half a dozen glowing energy spheres. The ship seemed to be emitting a high pitch wine, psychic in nature like the scream from a Shadow vessel but less hostile. The occupants of this ship were the Ancients called Seraphs who were watching the Shadows very closely.

I arrived on an unknown world, the sky a deep blood red colour and the moon was a mauve. We were high on a cliff face overlooking a large river or small inland sea- I did not know. The Vorlons were still held within their energy cage, the central eye on their encounter suits was wide open, obviously trying frantically to escape as; I could feel the psychic energies from outside their prison. Zeus raised his left hand and the purple lightening surrounding the Vorlons dissipated. He then raised his right hand high; a huge three foot bolt of lightning was held in his hand, it appeared almost solid. The combined power of the Vorlons hit Zeus, being absorbed harmlessly by a force field.

"If you kill us, it will not stop the destruction of your people, the Ieldras"

"I'm not a Ieldra, Vorlon!". _That would explain why no Ieldra was as powerful as the Council Members, they did not belong to our frakking species ._They had tried to blend in and disappear for some reason, _why?_

"Impossible. We did not know this" the Vorlon voice rumbled. I was currently standing next to Lokum, who as I stepped forward stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Don't" urged Lokum. Although I doubt I could've even if I wanted to, _his grip was like iron_. I'm glad I didn't. Zeus threw his lightning, leaving nothing but rubble where the Vorlons had been, nothing remained at all, not even part of an encounter suit. The excess energies bounced off the force field Lokum had erected, I hadn't even noticed in all the excitement.

"Good god!" I exclaimed.

"I can be sometimes" rumbled Zeus as the winds picked up, dark clouds evident in the night sky.

"Time to go" said Lokum in his melodious voice. _I bet he could sing_.

Suddenly appearing before us, was that beautiful woman with green hair. _Gaea!_

"Something unfortunate has happened. Come quickly"

"What" I said before thinking.

"It's Yoda"

"What" I said for the second time, sounding like a broken record.

"Come back to Babylon 5" she urged and vanished. I disappeared into the temporal energies of the 'under-time'. Zeus and Lokum did not accompany me, _were they going to torture the Vorlons? _

Approaching Babylon 5 I tried to sense Yoda's presence, _in one of the hanger bays_.

"_Unite them while we deal with the Shadows_" I heard telepathically from Zeus, suddenly sensing their 'under-time' trail as it continued onwards to whatever destination. As I broke out, absolutely chaos reigned in every sense of the word. Yoda was standing there surrounded by Babylon 5 security who were all armed with PPG's next to the headless corpse of the Chancellor. Looking around the scene I could also spy the torso and lower regions of Master Windu - _he was obviously dead too_. _Frelling great!_

I could see a dangerous look to Yoda's eyes, like he was possessed!

"_You must deal with this_" Geae whispered telepathically from the under-time, "_while we try to undo the plague. Don't fail_" and her presence vanished. I couldn't work out if that last part was a threat or her pleading with me.

As I surveyed the scene around me and noticed some of the security were pointing PPG's at me.

"What the hell is going on here!" boomed the voice of Susan. "You're back! At last" _No pressure!_

"Well I thought a trip around the rings of Saturn would do me good" I replied sarcastically.

"We have not really got the time for jokes" remarked Susan, "what happened here" she asked Yoda.

"Attack my friend he did, too late to help was I" Yoda answered, bowing his head in acknowledgement of a friends' death as a sort of silent good bye. _Good pomba! What a mess._

"At a guess then Chancellor Palpatine attacked and killed Master Windu, and Yoda tried to defend him"

"Alright, stand down for minute. Master Yoda if you could head back to your room"

"Of course" he replied leaning on his walking stick as he went. _What the hell was I missing here? _I tried to open myself to energies within the room, but it was full of dark side of the force; hampering my ability to sense anything.

"Escort him" Susan urged the security team.

"Shall we walk back to C&C?" I asked Susan, who all of a sudden seemed very plain next to the likes of Gaea.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"I went home, and arrived to utter devastation. A Shadow nano-plague has killed millions and those that survive are taking refuge within the planet"

"I'm sorry. What is a nano-plague?"

"Think of a plague that is started by nano-technology the size of molecules"

"Jesus".

"Quite, we have no means to defeat or to cure ourselves, and unless something presents itself most will die. We cannot even help or console those that are dying"

"Can't you quarantine them?"

"The technology would eat or pass through any protective barriers we have"

"Can we help?"

"I wish you could Susan. I've known many of my friends thousands of years, and stand here impotent to help" I said balling my hands into fists. If my mind had not been elsewhere, I might have seen the Fire Lord before me, observing events.

Elsewhere, Zeus was shouting. "Talk!" His hand reaching into the preternatural ether of the dead, pulling part of a dead Shadow apart, smiling as it screamed.

Yoda reached his room in the station Babylon 5 and sat down on the divan cushion and smiled to himself. Slowly closing his eyes drew on the force – and vanished.

A couple of hours later I was in C&C with Susan, watching the stars through the transteel glass.

"I can't believe you like cartoons" I said to Garibaldi who was standing beside me.

"What's so hard to believe about that?"

"It's just not what I would have expected"

"So are you saying that you don't like cartoons"

"I've never really had chance to indulge"

"What's not to like? There's this one where Daffy…." I stood there watching waiting for Garibaldi to finish his sentence, but his mouth just stayed open, and it was Susan that drew my attention back to reality.

"Did I just see what I thought I saw?"

"What did you just see?" I asked urgently.

"The Galactic Republic Star Destroyer just left using an unknown drive system"

"WHAT!" my voice boomed drawing on my magic making me louder than I intended.

"Was that really necessary?" muttered Garibaldi.

"Er..sorry. When did Yodas' shuttle leave?"

"Hanger bay, report, when the Galactic Republic shuttle leave?" inquired Susan.

"It didn't, it's still here"

"Did another shuttle arrive to pick him up?"

"Negative"

"Does anyone know what the hell is going on here?"

"I believe I might" replied Captain Sheridan who was accompanied by some tallish humanoid with a bald head, a golden torc containing some kind of gem in the centre, around the outside of his head. He seemed to walk with calm assurance, _a hidden power_. _Who the frak was he?_ I noticed this stranger seemed to looking in the corner of the room at something hidden to me. It was then I noticed an almost humanoid figure there made up of sunlight. _Was that a Fire Lord? _Ilooked back at the stranger who almost nodded to me. _He just read my mind!_

"Captain you're back"

"Where the hell have you been? Who the hell is he?"

"That's not important right now. We've got to unite all the races together, call the Alliance" commanded Sheriden.

"There are a few things I need to tell you about Captain"

"Not now Susan. Where are the Galactic Republic ships?"

"That's what I was going to tell you"

"Never mind, me and Lorien will be waiting in the conference lounge for you all to arrive"

"You're Lorien" my voice trembling as I spoke the words.

"_It is a long time since I have last seen one your kind" _Lorien stated telepathically.

"_Really? What is so special about Ieldras?" _I responded.

"_You're not completely Ieldra" _

"_I'm not?"_

"_But you already knew that" _

"_I didn't realise"_

"_If your mind and heart would communicate more freely"_

"_How?"_

"_That is not the question for you. How can you save your people yet remain calm"_

"_Please tell me how to stop the plague"_

"_Mmmmmm……Maybe if I told you a story from long ago"_

Deep within a hyperspace conduit a worldship sped, it had briefly been extra-galactic, and now with new technology moved faster than they had dreamed possible. The wreckage had even listed some of warrior races within the galaxy they could conquer. The real supreme Overlord Shinma smiled to himself. Soon, very soon indeed.

Hours later, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli was walking through some gardens on Coruscant, admiring the beauty of flowers and the surrounding plantlife. She was dressed in her usual robes that exposed only her face. On a planet that was effectively one large city it was a shame there weren't more of these, _how fragile and impermanent_ it _all is_ she contemplated. She saw a bush shaped like a Corvellian freighter, and as she walked around it, it exposed the most beautiful purple roses she had ever seen. It was then she sensed a presence and looking both right and left could see nothing. She could swear there was a heat mirage, as the light shimmered near a tree twenty meters away. When her eyes moved back the mirage was gone and so was the extraneous presence. Concerned that the heat may be getting to her, and that her meditations may have been too long, she walked towards a speeder.

"Be mindful" she heard. It sounded like Qui-Gon, but that impossible! _He's dead!_ Her eyes desperately searched the surrounding area, expanding her senses opening them to the force._ Nothing! Where is it coming from?_

"He has little knowledge of the Living Force" was the next phrase uttered by the voice of Qui-Gon. Luminara could not remember Qui-Gon ever uttering the first phrase, but the second was spoken to Obi-Wan years ago, of his readiness for the trials. That would mean that either _someone recorded the conversation_. Increasing her pace to the temple, _Must inform Yoda of this_. All of a sudden another mirage was visible on the side of a building, standing on a balcony. _It looked like a some kind of being_, but obscured by the light refracting around it.

It watched the Jedi, Luminara, having interfaced with the computers at the jedi temple days ago. It had contemplated killing the mercenary in the armour on the waterworld, but that would have been too easy and a jedi was a much more interesting & challenging target. _It hated it's masters!_ Why the Shadows created a hybrid from a myriad of races using Sith Alchemy & genetic engineering it did not know or care. They had programmed it with certain genetic memories and information…. the rest had been trained in. It was a combination, using the the best of several races; Yuatja, Wraith, & several types of Atavus. It would fight upon command, _on this it had no choice, _the Shadows had implanted a psionic compulsion. _Feed_. The human woman on the balcony with a baby had no knowledge it was there and neither did the jedi, unless it desired it so; and it did. The black armour it wore was an energy absorbant and dampened the use of the force. It turned to watch the jedi again, and placing it's hand on the chest of the woman holding the baby, draining her right there watching the horrified look in the eyes of the Jedi Master.

Luminara watch the mirage on balcony almost forty feet up, it reached out a hand towards the woman carrying the baby-unable to move. She watched her life wither and become an old woman before her eyes.

Luminara reached for her lightsaber, and using the force to make her movement faster, ran with inhuman speed towards the mirage, _the balcony_. Taking her eyes off it for one second, the skull of the baby was dripping with blood and vital fluids all over the wall. _Blood was everywhere, all over the wall and balcony as the body dropped twenty feet to the floor_. She noticed with an almost detached sensation that the screaming had stopped. She executed a force leap using her telekinetic skills to push herself higher into the air making for the opposite side of the balcony. The creature executed a defensive maneouver and just grabbed the wall and started to climb at an incredible rate, the screeching of it's claws digging into the masonry was deafening. _It did nothing to rouse her from shock_, as it then leaped to the ground and vanished among the fauna. She searched the grounds by reaching into force and outward…._she could sense nothing_. A second scan of the grounds still revealed nothing and jumping from the balcony used the force to absorb her fall. Igniting lightsaber, _ready._ She sensed incoming energy and raised her blade to deflect, a burst of plasma bouncing off to hit a tree, blowing away a large portion of the trunk. Another blast was coming from the mirage.

It's species had not been given a name and knew only one word word…_slave, _breed for war and fighting. It had contemplated using the force to forge a spear of blackness that would kill the jedi , but that would be too easy. It would fight the prey and take her spine and head as a trophy. _Today would be a glorious day! _Several passers by noticed the jedi with her lightsaber ignited, and looked around bewildered, not having seen what had transpired moment before. It shoulder cannon fired locking onto all six moving targets, watching as bodies, internal organs and viscera flew all over the park. It used the force to savour, catching the energy from their deaths to further enhance it's own abilities. The jedi approached.

"Come on out, coward" the female jedi taunted. _Coward_, you will know the meaning of fear, and gathering the force about itself threw out the death screams of the recently dead.

Suddenly her force ability used by all jedi to sense attacks by blaster 'kicked in', as the creatures weapon fired six times in quick succession killing all bystanders; none managed to get more than twenty feet before they were mercilessly killed. It's destructive power was impressive, but she could not think about that…._what? It cannot be! It is gathering the force energy released upon death into itself….the _**dark side!**This creature was a _**Sith**_. Her face showed concern and she reached deeper into herself and the force, calming herself for the battle ahead. The being became visible, as whatever cloaking technology being used was not any longer. It was eight feet tall with grey reptilian skin and long white dreadlocks to it's shoulders- it looked like a born predator and it slowly drew two yellow lightsabers and ignited them.

Luminara dropped to her knees, screaming at the top of her lungs unable to draw on the force to stave off the attack, her vision slowly doubled and snapped back into place. She felt every bit of pain and death experienced by those recent deaths. It filled her with such dread that such a force power existed, and felt a warm wet trickle slide down her leg. Fear and terror overcame her. It was waiting for her to stand.

Blocking its attacks easily at first, ducking another swing of the lightsaber in its right hand and blocking the follow up strike with the left. After a minute, knew her defeat was imminent, there was nothing she could do. Her superhuman agility and contortionist ability was the only thing that was saving her so far. _She will not let it win_ and concentracted on the force and slowly feeling her fear abate and strength return. _Would it be enough?_

It relived the memory of killing Luminara, of slowly inserting energy claws, dragging them higher up her body, feeling her agony, body spasming in its final moments. _Defenseless_. It quickly set about the next task, ripping out several teeth, relishing the screams. It used one of its tools to burn a hole through the centre of her teeth and set them upon a necklace containing ones from other kills, watching the blood drip down her chin, forming a pool with the rest around her body. The Jedi yet lived. It ripped out an eye and severed the optic nerve with a claw, placing it put into a box with many others.

"Time to die, jedi" it said clicking mandibles together concealed behind an oxygen mask. It turned her over, hand easily penetrating her soft flesh. It grabbed her spine & slowly extracted it from her body, relishing the last gasp of pain. _The best bit_, using its natural energy claws inserted them into her brain, absorbing her lifeforce and personality to be forever imprisoned within its immortal body, unable to escape. Activating it's chameleon circuit vanishing from sight- running into the night as a ghostlike mirage.

Kit Fisto had just landed his star fighter, and felt quite drained for some reason. His Padawan Bant Eerin had just graduated to Jedi Knight, and felt immensely proud of his student and quickly held the emotioin in check. _There is no emotion, there is peace_. He felt a malevolent presence the meant harm, if not outright death and reaching for his lightsaber prepared to do battle. Suddenly a ghostlike image appear from nowhere which slowly formed into an eight foot creature in some kind of black flexible armoured suit with white dreadlocks. It ignited dual yellow lightsabers.

It quickly despatched the jedi within a minute, breaking both arms and legs to prevent escape and strangling him with his own bowels. They did not learn, continually trying to use the force in combat. It's suit acting as a leech draining the force from them, the more they used the more it took, succumbing to fatigue and death. Too relaint upon their powers and not natural skill. It knew of a Sith Lord and two Jedi Masters it wished to challenge next but one its kin had been despatched to deal with them. It would kill all the remaining masters though _it would enjoy their deaths, very much._ It reached through soft skin with sharp claws for his spinal column………………….

Newly graduated Jedi Knight Bant Eerin was flying solo in space contemplating the impermanace of all things, to concentrate on the force -and _felt the death of his master._This was _impossible_. He had felt that there was something amiss for a while now but could not place it. _Very strange indeed! _Immediately turning the fighter around, about to make the return journey back to the Jedi Temple. He did not notice a huge black spider shaped vessel emerge from Hyperspace, leaving behind what appeared to be a derelict just above the planet in a destabilising orbit. Brant did hear some kind of psychic scream that overloaded his senses; causing him to pass out. Unable to react his ship crashed, exploding in a fiery wreckage killing dozens.

Hours earlier. Yoda sat on his divan cushion, at one with the force -exploring his power and immortality. He was waiting in a shuttle in the hanger bay, and all way quiet. Hearing a chime on the door responds, "Enter you may". Into his room walks Chancellor Palpatine accompanied by Mace Windu, minus any hands. "Pleased to see you both I am".

"We come with urgent news"

"Indeed" echoes the Chancellor.

"Felt it have you?"

"We've both felt it, the death of the Jedi at some unseen hand" replied Mace, his usual confidence gone.

"Unseen it is not" replied the new immortal, "know our enemies plans I do"

"Who is it?" asks Master Windu.

"Move against us, our enemies have"

"You mean the Shadows?" inquires the Sith Lord, who was already aware of the fact and intended to play dumb for a bit. _Need to get closer to Yoda_. Ensuring his thoughts are shielded from scrutiny walks closer.

"Ask something you already know do you?"

"Perhaps", answered the Dark Lord, "one thing is clear. We must return or all is lost"

"Why play a game you still do?"

"You knew?" said Mace turning angrily to face Palpatine. "Can you not just stop! The old ways are gone" he gestures. Without hands it looks ridiculous to the Chancellor. _Can't wait, must have it! _He projects the force and flings Mace against a wall where he lays quite still. Yoda instantly responds by igniting his lightsaber, "Attack the helpless you did. No threat was he"

"I will kill you now. Especially as you are without your new protector" and igniting his own red blade attacks without mercy.

Yoda thought the confrontation pointless, Mace lay dying on the floor, blood pooling from a nasty head wound. Darth Sidious continues to attack. Yoda, blocks, jumps and counter attacks in one smooth motion. In fact Yoda had not felt this good since his early two hundreds, _youth_. As their battle intensifies Yoda genuflects. While the Sith had been busy scheming, Yoda had been learning. When Methos had infused his dying body with Quickening, it had also contained memories, abilities, & powers. Had they battled prior to his change, Yoda would have lost. The Jedi had remained static, ready to fight the previous battle but not this one; while the Sith had changed so much over the last thousand years, adapted. _Arrogance it was. _So over confident in their own abilities and blind to the obvious, expelling any Jedi that differed from the expected path.

Almost as an anti-climax, Yoda decapitates the para-time Emperor, his red bladed lightsaber still swinging defensively. Quickening spews from Palpatine into Yoda. _The memories, the power! _Yoda's could see Palpatine murdering Darth Plageuis, training Dooku, and countless others over 1000 years. Finally the body fell, limp and dead to the deck. Picking up the lightsaber, concealing it in robes while sheathing his own blade. Yoda felt so angry at the loss of an ally and went to help Mace to his feet. Yoda pushed force energy into Mace, hoping to aid healing and recovery, watched as his friend gained consciousness. Slowly Mace sat up, and got to his feet; albeit shakily at first.

"Get you help I will"

"Thaaaaink uuuuu" Mace managed, words slurring indicating concussion at the very least.

Yoda glimpses a vision of a para-time future, now no longer possible. Both him and Palpatine fighting, lightsabers clashing, deflecting force lightning from both hands and being blown back a hundred feet down from a Senate pod. _Exile, defeat_. Unable to contain his anger anymore, the flood doors of Yoda's psyche are overcome by the darkest of Quickenings; who instantly draws the nearest lightsaber and cuts Mace in half.

"Wha……" These were the last words spoken by the Vaapad master.

It had only taken a half hour or so of inquiry. _Patience. _He had waited for Addad to return and any suspicion of what had happened and Yoda would kill him. Waiting it all out, _realise he does not _, he is lead somewhere else more private by security guards and waits for events to quieten. Slowly he pieces together how Addad transports; and concentrating on the force appears onboard the Star Destroyer. When they are safely in hyperspace, reasonably sure Addad cannot retaliate against him, waits to reach Coruscant. Absentmindedly Yoda notices one officer has made a miscalculation in the hyperspace co-ordinates, and igniting the Chancellors lightsaber, kills him.

Back on Babylon 5, I cannot understand what has happened. Walking into the room once more, _this is a bad idea_. Opening to the darkness once more, I let the memories of the room consume me. _A fight took place, lightsaber combat. Yoda won; absorbed the Quickening of Darth Sidious and killed Mace. Not possible! _ I must have made a mistake. I have several choices now, and exit into the 'under-time'. It is called that for a reason, and rewind the events of the past half day. I wait under the now and watch the Sith Lord enter, the events are blurry but I can make them out. Confused by what I see. _Why would Yoda kill Mace after consuming a Quickening?_

I return to C&C, both Sheridan, Susan & Lorien watch me arrive.

"_Why do you not act?" _I telepathically ask the eldest living being.

"_It is not my place to"_ is the cryptic reply.

"_We could learn so much from your guidance"_

"_You must make your own mistakes. Right now you reflect why one of wisest beings you know would kill a friend"_ It is not a question, but a statement.

"_Yes. Do you know?"_

"_Is not change the most important thing?"_

"_Not when you become evil, possessed"_

"_You are close to the answer you seek". _I didn't know what was worse, talking to Lorien or Methos, both equally as secretive!

"_Possession. What could possess an immortal? Their Quickening prevents most energy beings gaining control"_

It is then I realise, and cannot believe my stupidity. _Dark Quickening_.

"_How do I cure him?" _I ask him telepathically.

"_That is the more interesting question"_ Lorien answers philosophically.

Back in the Medical Bay, the thing that is Stephen Franklin watches. It had killed the original one weeks ago, and had just gone about normal daily activity until instructed otherwise. There were many skin spies in the Alliance now; awaiting their time to act.


	9. The Showdown

Chapter 9

* * *

The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote: Kosh

* * *

Story...

I walked with Captain Sheriden, along a corridor, alongside him was Commander Adama.

"Thank you for giving us shelter here. I appreciate it, we really needed a break. Resources and morale were quite low"

"I'm just sorry it was not the best time with things the way they are around here"

"I've only heard rumours of who, or what the Vorlons or Shadows are"

"They are races that are millions of years old, and the information we have is limited at best. It's the Shadows that seem to be the problem, causing wars and conflict wherever they can"

"I can see how that may cause a problem" replied Adama diplomatically. "Surely there must be some way to hurt them? Strike back?"

"If there is, we have yet to find it"

"If we could help you, we would"

"I know. Whatever aid you could give us would greatly appreciated"

"What can we do?"

"I don't know at the minute, but things are always kinda hectic around here. Things are liable to change as frequently as the wind"

"Let me know" said Adama good-naturedly, I could see that he was obviously tired of the constant struggling to survive.

"Well you're welcome to stay here as long as you want. If you want the co-ordinates for Earth dome; I'll be happy to give them. I just wouldn't recommend go there it at the minute, with us having broken away"

"Why did you….break away?"

"It seems that Earth is not under our, being human control anymore, someone or something else is pulling the strings behind the scenes; and well…."

I knew what Sheriden was struggling to say; in as polite a way as possible. "Perhaps we could find out who is working behind close doors?"

"What the Captain is trying to say is that, Earth is closed to aliens of any sort, whether they look human or not"

"Really? That might cause a problem among us" Asked Adama, "we have never come across any alien life and the……diversity is a bit of a shock; I'm sure my people will get used to it"

"It was a bit of a shock to us at first. In fact some of our first ventures into space led to war. We were nearly exterminated by the Mimbari"

"How long ago?"

"Only a decade or so ago, not long really"

Sheridens' com-link bleeped. "Sheriden"

"Captain, we've got a transmission" announces Ivanova,

"On my way" he replies and turns to Adama, "if you'll excuse me?"

"Captain, may I join you?" inquires the Commander of the Galactica; I'd like to see what you're up against. It may put things in perspective".

"Sure" he replies and off we walk.

Susan is standing in C & C, "some Vree ships have picked up a huge Vorlon fleet in hyperspace. We have a visual report of the Vorlons attacking an inhabited planet"

"Let's see it"

What we all see is nothing short of terrifying, it is a huge Vorlon ship from which energy lances out and at a nearby planet.

"They did not even bother to attack the space fleet and just removed the planet" I said thinking out loud as I felt the colour drain out of my face, the screen began to spin in my vision like a roulette table. I grabbed hold of the table and took a few deep breaths, steadying myself.

"My gods!" shouts Adama, I can see he is as shocked as us.

Nothing remains but rubble, and a few of the remaining spaceships, whose home planet has been obliterated, attack without mercy. Their weapons are completely ineffectual, seeming to hit the ships hull, being absorbed harmlessly. _Good pomba! _I know I had information on them from a para-time future, but reading about them and watching holo-vids is nothing, compared to the event actually happening before your very eyes - in 'real time' so to speak.

"What planet was that?" asks Sheriden immediately, urgency in his voice.

"Centauri Prime"

"There were 3 billion living sentients". It was at this point my vision began to spin again. _Sometimes being a mage sucks!_

"How can any sane species destroy that many people?" asks Adama, taken back by the senseless slaughter, "The Cylons killed billions of our people, but even they would not destroy a whole planet!"

"My god!" shouts Susan simultaneously, awe, horror and frustration all evident in that one statement. "How can we hope to win?"

"We can't" I reply, a stutter in my voice. "What a fool I've been"

"Why let them go?" asked Garbaldi without thinking, "unless…."

"Susan, see if we have any White Stars nearby, and offer any aid and assistance necessary"

"But Captain, I don't think anyone survived"

"Probably not, but because of this we're going to get refugees, wounded and all kinds wanting" he paused, and looked at me, "sanctuary. Addad. Can you get near and sense survivors?"

"I can, but there were none"

"Other than the obvious" inquired Susan waving at the playback, "how can you be so sure?"

"I felt it. It was like a billion voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced"

"Try anyway" ordered Sheriden. "We have to try. We need all the support and help we can get in what is to come"

"Done" I said and vanished. I knew it was a wasted journey and in the under-time reached the remains of Centauri Prime. I obviously didn't break out into hard vacuum without protection as that would be silly. But I used the force, and reaching out felt nothing- not one living thing. I felt several hyperspace points open, and tried to touch the minds of the crew. _Centauri!_

I appeared in the middle of one of their ships, their crew were looking at me; drawing weapons, quickly pointing them in my direction. _This was not good. What had I done? _Raising my hands in a friendly, 'I'm not here for trouble gesture', "Look, I didn't destroy your planet"

"Kill him!" shouted a Centauri captain, his hair much bigger and more fan like than even Londo.

"I really didn't; the Vorlons did"

"We know. We're hoping to offer you to the Shadows in the hopes we'll be able to strike at the Vorlons"

"That's stupid and frelling suicide! Besides I have an offer from Sheriden" I said examining the bridge; and it was not unlike any other spaceship. "You are welcome at Babylon 5 if you wish to re-fuel, or want sanctuary" 

"Take him away. Londo told me about you. Now we will have your gauntlets for ourselves".

"Suit yourself Shak heads" I said and ducked into the under-time before anyone could fire. Now the Shak is a slow dull witted smelly animal native to our planet, or was. _How easily I forget that._

I arrived back at Babylon 5 moments after leaving.

"I didn't expect you back so soon"

"Well they're all dead Captain, but a few ships appeared from hyperspace"

"Did you convey my message?"

"I did. It seemed the Centauri more intent on handing me over to the Shadows in the hope of gaining technology, so they could strike back at the Vorlons"

"Understandable really"

"I guess"

Sheriden looked at me, "You didn't hurt anybody?"

"No. I just slipped under-time after giving them your message"

"Good. It's a start at least"

"Guess we'll find out how many refugees arrive soon"

"Captain - just let me know what the Galactica can do, we'll help anyway we can"

"Thank you" he replies.

"Can you send a copy of that transmission over to the Galactica, I want my people to see that?"

"Sure. No problem" answers Susan.

Within an hour was another of Ivanova's update for races allied with Babylon 5. I watched stunned by recent events, as a message appeared on the screen, 'Please Stand By. Incoming Transmission' and then Susan appeared, "We're pre-empting your usual BabCom service to bring you an update in the continuing crisis. Two more deep range planetary colonies have been eliminated by the Vorlon forces. This footage was taken as the Vorlon fleet closed in on Vintari 3". The screen then flicked to display a huge armada of Vorlon ships, in tight formation; a huge ship in the centre.

"The ship eclipsing the local star seems to be their main weapon; a planet killer". I had certainly seen that earlier!

Her broadcast continued, "Below is a list of league worlds or colonies accepting refugees from Vintari 3. We will continue to update this list as the situation changes. If you are from Vintari 3, do not return home until authorised as the local jump gate has been destroyed and a large volume of ships could form a hazard. Contact your ambassadors about relatives and family members that may have survived. We are taking in refugees as fast as we possibly can but our resources are nearly maxed out. We will repeat this broadcast every twenty standard minutes"

I watched her, her faced seemed to be devoid of emotion whatsoever; but to those that knew her, her voice held emotion, and it showed fear!

Hours later, I sat in the Captains' office, fuming, for two reasons really. One the death of three billion sentients, plus I really had not one clue how to save Yoda from a Dark Quickening. I was fairly sure Lorien did and he wasn't going to tell me; at least not yet, if at all. Somehow I had to figure my way out of it, and I just didn't have a damn clue. Lucky for me I had trusty people near me, right?

"That just isn't going to work Susan" said Sheriden. I had tuned most of it out, when my attention was suddenly brought back into focus, "What do you think Addad?"

"Mmmmm….what?" I replied looking up sheepishly.

Before I could utter another word, "I don't think he was listening to a word we said" remarked Garibaldi sarcastically, pointing in my direction, grinning.

"I had noticed that Michael"

"You noticed huh? Was that before or after he dozed off?"

"The first or the second time?" asked the Captain.

"When he started snoring the second time was a dead giveaway"

"I didn't fall asleep" I replied ashamedly. _At least I don't think I had._

"That's certainly a matter of opinion" Michael jested and watched as both John and Susan also break into grins.

"Okay, I admit my mind was elsewhere. What did I miss out on?"

"Susan was just filling me in on a few things"

John explained all about his experience there, again for my benefit, and I knew there would there were a few gaps, something he kept to himself, _I could sense it_.

Our briefing over, I walked along corridor after corridor of the station. I went in lift after lift, further and further down I went. I saw another of Susans' broadcast, "This is a Command & Control update. The safe haven of Tazino Prime has been lost to the Vorlon advance. Three others off the list have also become silent. As soon as the Vorlons enter, they blanket the surrounding area blocking all transmissions. We will update the list, although we cannot be sure for another twelve hours. Reports coming in indicate massive destruction on a planetary scale and we continue to need medical supplies and atmosphere capable shuttles. This message will repeat in twenty standard minutes".

_My mind was wandering aimlessly, so my legs did likewise. _Eventually I found myself in 'Down Below', a place notorious for trouble. Why was I here? _Perhaps it was something to do with my extremely troubled mind_? It was very silly in hindsight, but isn't hindsight a completely useless thing? Foresight is far more useful. I saw all kinds of 'down and outs' here, space age tramps really, those that had come to Babylon 5 hoping it would be their future, and untold riches would be theirs. In most cases, those down here did not have enough money for a transport home and were unfortunately trapped, unable to leave, barely have money to eat and no one really wanted to hire them. It really was quite sad and reminded me of old Earth slums, people sitting by metal drums that they had deliberately set on fire; just for warmth. Many were huddled in makeshift tents or squatted anywhere they could, most were emaciated and starving. Poor bastards!

I suppose by rights I should be here, I had no money, nowhere to stay but somehow my usefulness had earned me a room- bizarre how life turns out sometimes. I walked by and mostly people just ignored me; _why was I down here?_ Trying to work out how to resolve Yoda's dark Quickening problem and hoping or rather praying that inspiration hit me, unfortunately it was more of lead pipe that did that deed. Smoothly around the back of the head; never even saw it coming!

As my legs temporarily gave way, my head swam, four rather large humans walked out, carrying shiny objects, _weapons_. I couldn't see what they were at this point, my vision was too blurry, so I had no idea if they were blunts or blades.

"Well it seems someone walked down the wrong corridor" said a rather deep voice and despite blurry outlines I could ascertain they were rather large & had a bald head.

"We want your belongings" said another blurry figure, although I could see the dark outlines of a goatee.

"Mmmmm…." I mumbled, holding my head and trying not to vomit. Slowly the nausea subsided and my vision became clearer. There were four humans, as I said a large built one with a bald head carrying what appeared to be a wickedly sharp machete which held my attention, a slightly shorter one with brown wavy hair and a goatee holding two butterfly knives; and two blonde males that looked identical wielding escrima sticks. _Frelling superb! _Just my luck to fight a bunch of martial artists, _remind me to get some proper formal martial arts training at some point_. That doesn't mean I can't fight, cos I can. It's the different between being taught to fight by the SAS and becoming a Shaolin Monk. No one is under any illusions who would win, and unless you shoot the monk, the SAS are dead meat.

It was then a thought dawned on me, there were actually five assailants, one behind me with the heavy metal object, "Look I really don't want any trouble"

"If you give me your belongings there won't be any" said goatee. I opened myself to the force, and felt how far away the guy behind me was. My ears were still ringing, so trying to hear seemed kind of pointless. It was then salvation happened my way in the form of a stranger with long dark hair, and equally dark goatee. I could just make out some Mimbari markings on his tunic.

"Usually I find it quite impolite to have five to one odds against a downed opponent" he said reaching into his long robes, drawing a small metallic object which quickly extended into a Mimbari fighting pike.

They quickly spread out to deal with the new intruder; ignoring me, and with my strength returned I immediately dealt with the assailant behind me. With vampire swiftness I turned and grabbed hold of the wrist with the metal weapon and standing hit him repeatedly in the face. My first shot removed teeth and split lip quite spectacularly, while my second smashed his nose and eye socket; my third and final punch was a body shot. I left him lying on the floor in a pool of blood and vomit.

I turned to find they were beginning to surround my saviour, and having no compunction about using the 'dark side', pointed at the bald one with a knife and reached out to constrict his vocal cords and larynx.

"You really picked a bad day for this shak head" I said. I find it can be quite beneficial to be able to swear offensively in different languages and pointed my other hand at the one with a goatee and shot force lightning; which bounced him off a wall. I wasn't sure which was smoking more, him or his clothes. My saviour quickly knocked the other two unconscious, and was not even breathing heavily "Looks like you didn't need my help, after all"

"Not true actually, without your welcome distraction they might have had me"

"How did you do that anyway, you don't look like a technomage"

"I'm not one of those, _things_" I said a little vehemently. But I knew where and who made them, the Shadows, which immediately added a bias. It was then we both turned to look at baldy, who was still choking.

"Don't you think you ought to?" said my saviour waving a hand, "you know, stop"

"Er…..right" I said, looking at the bald man straight in the eye, "sorry" and released my hold on his throat. "Aren't you a Ranger, a human trained by the Mimbari?"

"I am, in fact I spent quite a while on Mimbar, beautiful place and they are so very friendly welcoming people"

"I'm not surprised when Valen-to-be is standing right next to you"

"I don't really understand what you mean"

"Must be the bump on the head. You really don't want to know. My name is Addad; who are you?"

"Marcus".

I looked at Marcus, another legend from a para-time future never to be.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You reminded me of someone" I lied. "Shall we leave before someone arrives?"

Marcus looked at the bodies, and back at me, "Probably a very sensible idea" and as we both walked away leaving the prone forms to awaken in their own time.

"You know that I have often said that you can get a more with a kind word and two by four than with just a kind word- now tell me that part about Valen again".

I was at this point sitting at a table with John & Garibaldi, drinking a heavenly cup of coffee. And you know how I equate coffee and civilisation. I was so tired that I could barely move; almost as if I had flu, but worse. If I had to give it a name it would be c_oncussion,__ a part of me wishes I had never got involved. _It was then I realised, almost all of my race were dead and maybe two hundred remained, not including Council Members. _My race were almost dead_, and it was then my courage and will gave out; tears flooding down my cheeks. _How could this happen? Was I or my species so arrogant to interfere in the affairs of others? _

"Are you okay?" Garibaldi asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. There was one man I would never have expected compassion from, _but in some ways I'm glad cos it means after all my years of experience I can be wrong_. "My whole species has been nearly wiped out" I muffled between sobs.

"I'm sorry" Garibaldi said, patting me on the shoulder, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news….but it's gonna get a lot worse"

"He's right you know" said John. For my part I sorta nodded my head in understanding, and tried to get emotions under control. Maybe I'm putting myself under too much pressure? _The fate of the galaxy rests on me! There I go being arrogant again_.

_The fate of the Galaxy rests on us, all of us! _

I could sense a deep foreboding in the air, almost like sitting the most important exam of my life that I know I am destined to fail; _yet I cannot! _It is then I feel someone, _something_, touch my mind, and I see it. I am somewhere else now, a huge glowing ball of energy the _size of a planet _holds me in some kind of tentacle, also made of energy, it surrounds me, holds me tight. Unable to escape I survey my surroundings, and I see another there also. I strain my vision to look and see the face of Captain Sheridan. He looks at me, & I look back. _What the frelling hell is going on?_ The images in my mind fade, although the _touch_ remains and I see events taking place far away.

Above Naboo several freighters were towing the ship into a secure facility for examination unaware of the real dangers onboard.

On Coruscant things were going very badly indeed. Several clone soldiers had ventured into another supposed derelict, only to venture too close to a large cluster of eggs that were about three feet tall. The soldiers watched as the eggs opened, revealing a moving creature inside. After a brief struggle all were overcome by facehuggers. In the Jedi Temple Obi-Wan sits in meditation, and to him it feels almost like some giant was holding his soul down creating not so much a ripple in the force, _more like being on boat while someone threw a huge stone into lake_, "Did you feel that?" he mutters to another Master, Ki-Adi-Mundi.

"I did but know neither the reason nor the cause"

"This must be investigated" remarks Obi-Wan, "although I do not know what disturbs me more; the brutal deaths………or this"

"I suggest all Jedi move in twos from now on, including Masters"

"Mmmmmm…..." considers Obi-Wan, stroking his beard thoughtfully, "that might not be a bad idea"

Ki-Adi-Mundi walks slowly towards the recently found derelict with Jedi Master Plo Koon.

"Something is not right here" remarks Master Koon, grabbing his lightsaber.

"I sense it too" replies Master Mundi, also igniting his own saber. Slowly they walked up the ramp, their physical senses and force senses opened to their maximum and to whatever fates the force had in store.

Master Obi-Wan felt another _tremor in the force_, and rose from the meditation divan. He'd temporarily relocated into Yoda's, not to take his place, but because of the peace and serenity it radiated - it helped to calm him.

"Aaaargh". Obi-Wan heard shouts of pain, sensing it in the force as well.

"The younglings" he cries, jumping to his feet, running. The sight that greets him was gruesome, and to this very day makes him 'sick to his stomach'. The bodies of 'younglings', Padawans and many Jedi Knights lay on the floor, most were severely maimed - missing either an arm or a leg, or both. Standing above them is huge imposing figure, eight feet tall with grey skin, _almost reptilian_ with dual yellow lightsabers. Letting the force flow through him, examines the scene before him, _some are dead, but most are alive _he realises, and 'files' away those thoughts for later and concentrates on the Living Force as his previous Master Qui-Gonn taught.

Master Koon sees fellow Master Ki-Adi-Mundi decapitate some creature, only to be splashed with some kind of chemical. He is not able to examine it, although the force tells him it's some kind of acid, most of Master Mundi's face & body are badly burnt as he drops to the floor loosing the grip on his lightsaber, wailing in pain. Plo gathers the _force_ to him, summoning a whirlwind knocking the creatures away; and in another burst of power; _electric judgement_ shoots from his fingertips bouncing from egg to the unknown beings. Whatever they were, they possessed incredible speed, agility, able to climb walls effortlessly and had an armoured exoskeleton structure. In between those jaws were sharp teeth with another mouth that shot out, though the force told him that it too was quite capable of killing. What freaked him out was the lack of eyes or external sensory organs. _Almost like he could hear them telepathically, _for they utter a non-verbal scream in rage and charge in a frenzy. It feels like _someone stuck an ice cube in his heart_, and knows that his fellow master is now among the dead. Using the force to give him an unnatural burst of speed, runs to the nearest speeder, intent on going to the Jedi Temple, aware that death lurks there too.

Obi-Wan tires, his battle with the unknown alien does not go well; it is incredibly skilled. He leaps up one floor hoping to escape. In his heart, Obi-Wan can sense that victory is impossible at this time and hopes the alien does not pursue. Briefly glancing over his shoulder see that it doesn't, his plan now is to activate the automated signal, to tell all Jedi to escape.

The hybrid creature lets him leave, aware of the timetable set by its masters. There should be enough here for their plans. It senses clones approaching and activating his chameleon field disappears, waiting for them to get close enough and suddenly and without warning ignites both lightsabers and disables all the clones. A few are dead, most still live. Pressing a button on his forearm gauntlet summons his cloaked ship from orbit. Knowing it will be moments before its arrival begins to gather the wounded for the harvest.

Obi-Wan feels stronger already and contemplates returning to kill the beast, _something is wrong_ and he does not know what. He does not understand why it is able to drain him or how, only that it can in close proximity. Another tactic is required. He quickly reaches the coded beacon and begins to set in the code.

Its' ship arrives, and lands where bidden. Once the entrance bay is opened, it begins to load the disabled into it, throwing them roughly to the floor, unconcerned about them, _they'll soon be dead_. Rushing to his cockpit, ensures the chameleon field is still active takes off, heading towards the derelict. He pilots the controls like a professional pilot, with finesse and efficiency, aware that the technology is thousands of years ahead anything known to any of his separate DNA parts, whether it be Atavus, Wraith, or Yuatja. He watches as many ships fly towards him, his ship completely invisible to their systems. He carefully lands in front of the derelict, now surrounded by Kaine Amedha who are lurking in shadows. He presses a button which activates the ramps, as they descend, walks out. Aware they are watching. Under ordinary circumstances they would attack, but all are servants of the Shadows and under psychic a compulsion, _they must obey_. Picking up several immobile Padawans and younglings walks into the derelict. Behind him, dozens of Kaine Amedha swarm into his ship, gathering other prone forms and returning to their ship. Minutes of activity, all of the forms are placed in front of eggs, and the servants of the Shadows watch. The Kaine Amedha drip more acid than usual in anticipation and the hybrid drums his own long talons on his thigh.

Back on Babylon 5, the Stephen Franklin construct continues to dissect the assassin. It enjoys the cutting and wishes its victim were alive as takes out organs, brain and tissue. Scanning everything. He learns many things, and will tell John very little. His species, the Ichoroi do not like humans, except for torture. Another casualty has come in from the war, a human woman and he rushes to help. No other staff or nurses are available, it had murdered most of them yesterday – and yet no one notices in all 'hive of activity'; and should they it will probably be blamed on the Shadows. He watches as the woman grasps his arm, wanting aid. Yet, he, it knows death is imminent, and it is turned on by this-becoming hard. He puts her on a gurney, and punches her into submission, and rapes her dying form body several times.

The servants of the Shadows watch the facehuggers fall off their victims, the drones bind them in a web of solidified saliva and unable to escape many writhe in either pain, or aware close death is. None of the captives understand the pain that is imminent, as the newborn larval will rip themselves out of the hosts chest cavity. All watch with interest, even the Shadows observe from hyperspace. After several hours, the first Jedi spasms in pain, his throat roar from previous screams and all watch the glorious birth of a new species of Kaine Amedha, the larvae rips out of the Jedi Knights chest –it is force sensitive! In hyperspace the Shadows rejoice at their new creation, knowing many more will follow.

Appearing from hyperspace are two unknown ships, and they head directly towards two Cylon Basestars that are waiting in orbit. Inside the hanger bay, are many of the droid separatist army, and 'old style' Cylons waiting or their allies to emerge, whom appear to be robots. Many are akin to skeletons made of metal with glowing red eyes, others seem to be made of some kind of liquid metal. There are thousands and all are heavily armed with a variety of laser, pulse or particle weaponry. Once all are aboard the Cylon Basestars engage their FTL drives, and vanish to destinations unknown.

I see stars in my vision, and rub my eyes try to make sense of what I saw and notice that Sheriden is looking at me, observing. Without saying anything I look back at the Captain.

"I hope I'm not interrupting?" asks Michael.

"Er…No"

"It's nothing Michael, really" John replies. It is almost like he knows, as though we were both being held by whatever it was,my first thought would be _Lorien. _To which John just nods.

"We've got another report and a visual of the Shadow fleet on the move"

"Okay, let's see how bad it is"

"Sir, there is a message for Delenn from White Star 14"

"I ordered several Ranger ships to where these attacks had taken place, to see if we could get more information". On the screen before us is a Ranger, a human taught the ways of Mimbari.

"Ent'zilda" the Ranger uses traditional Mimbari greeting. "We found a colony under attack by Shadow forces and the Shadow Planet Killer has just appeared. We sent down a probe to investigate"

"Show me" orders Delenn, for she is now in sole charge of the all the Rangers.

We see a whole planet enveloped in some kind of cloud, continuously moving, within it is possible to hexagonal shapes that indicate intelligent design.

"In Valens name" Delenn curses. I know from reading some of the para-time entries on my home-world that she also knew who Valen really was, Jeffrey Sinclair.

"What the hell is it?" inquires Ivanova, "other than the obvious….I mean" At this point I put all doubts and self concerns away, throwing them in a proverbial waste basket. _No time, focus!_

Deftly Ranger Ericksons' hand moves across the crystals, allowing us to see what the data the probe is relaying. What was once a cloud, takes focus as the probe is underneath this cover. We see what appear to be thousands and thousands of diamond shaped missiles heading towards the surface, each impact ending with a huge explosion.

"Scanners indicate the missiles have penetrated surface of the planet, burrowing straight down. Ten, twenty, I can't believe it; they're almost down to the molten core of the planet".

There is a collective intake of breath between us all, I was not aware of holding mine, but we are all tense and suddenly the signal is lost.

"Erickson. Erickson, what was that?" asks John, urgency in his voice.

"Electromagnetic pulse coming from the surface, we caught a piece of it. The missiles have detonated in the planets core. Thousands of megatons, times thousands of missiles" Erickson said quite animatedly. "The planets core is breaking up, we're registering massive tectonic movement, atmospheric disturbance. It's falling apart from the inside out!"

I noticed Sheriden looked down at the floor, Lennier looked uncomfortable shifting from foot to foot. Delenn's face seemed to cringe.

"Anyone want to tell me how the hell we're supposed to stop that?" asked Garibaldi, beginning to lose his temper, looking from side to side at each of us as he spoke. "We're outclassed boys and girls. If we at least knew where either side was going to hit next"

"What planet was that?" asks John again.

"Proxima 3"

"Why did they allow us to transmit all that information?" I inquire.

"What does it matter?" replied Garibaldi giving one of his 'tell or else' stares.

"Why didn't they destroy the ships transmitting the data?"

"They wanted us to see this. Scare us" remarks Sheriden.

"Where is their next destination?" I inquire, not really wanting to hear an answer, for the events begin to terrify me, yet again.

"According to the projections the Vorlons will go to Coruscant, and arrive in a little over one day. The Shadows to Mimbar, and will arrive in about two days. They seem to picking off any planet that has taken sides"

"John, we cannot allow the Shadows to attack Mimbar"

"If they destroy Coruscant", I gulp, "over 1 trillion beings live there"

"A trillion" echoes Michael and Ivanova simultaneously.

I watch Sheriden very closely, whose mind seems to fire into overdrive and it is then I sense something from him, not a thought; but some kind of energy- like the force but different. "Delenn, show this to the Alliance members, and meet me back here in a half hour"

"What are you going to do?" she asks.

"I've got a few things I need to do. Erickson, keep this frequency open – I'll need to talk to you later", and with that John walks off talking with Ivanova, no one, not even I am aware of what is happening.

While Delenn was gathering the Alliance and showing them what we just saw. I watch as every member of the Alliance goes into an uproar upon seeing this replay, the noise is deafening.

"Where the hell is Sheriden?" asks Garibaldi, looking at both Lennier and me.

"I don't know"

"I hope he comes back soon, the natives are getting restless.

As Sheriden walks back in silence descends, all eyes including mine look up in anticipation. _I have gone from saviour, to one of the many being saved_.

"Can I have you attention?" as the Captain walks down the stairs, with Delenn. "By now you have seen all the reports we have. The Vorlons have been attacking bases of any race allied with the Shadows, and vice versa. I did intend to move against them in a time of our choosing, but they are going to target Coruscant- the home of over one trillion beings and we cannot allow that. We have lost any luxury of time"

I look at both Sheriden and Delenn, and I can sense anger between them. Somehow I suspect that John has not chosen to save Mimbar, _but will it be Coruscant? _I do not know, and watch – taken up by the events transpiring.

"Patch me through to White Star 14" Captain Sheriden utters in his 'command' voice.

"Mr Erickson" asks John

"Yes sir"

"I am going to have to ask a great deal of you. We're re-encoding this message every ten seconds so have your system keep up with us. I don't want this message intercepted"

"Not a problem"

"We are transmitting a file to you on a sub-channel" says the Captain, who then looks at Ivanova, "Susan"

"Done" she announces triumphantly.

"Have you got it?" John inquires. We all watch as Ranger Erickson looks behind at a Mimbari aide, one of the crew – who nods.

"On there is a file of showing a secret base we have on Coruscant, and most of the fleet will be there when it goes on line in two days. So far they have been avoiding a direct confrontation with each other and I think I now know why"

"We are going to force the issue and make sure the Shadows are there. If they want Armageddon, then by god we'll give it to them!"

Gasps sound around the room, some in shock, some think his actions stupid, others folly.

"How" inquired a Drazi. "They aren't going to come simply because we ask them"

"I know" replied Sheriden. "That is why we are going to try another way"

"Mr Erickson, three more ships have been sent to rendezvous with you, from there you will attack a base in Shadow space, five light years away from Za'H'adum, on Timon 5"

"I know the one, but they'll be able to respond within minutes. If not sooner"

"Yes they will"

"That file we sent to you, contains information on a secret base we have recently established on Coruscant, and if that file were to fall into enemy hands"

"Don't worry sir, I won't let you down". The whole room, had caught on to what Sheriden was planning by now. Many turned away from the screen, or closed their eyes, anything to avoid eye contact with the soon to be deceased.

"You misunderstand me. I want that to fall into their hands. But if it happens too easily, they won't believe it. It has to look genuine. You're not a married man are you?"

"No sir"

"That's one thing, at lest"

"It's okay sir, I understand. I'll get it done, make it look real. In Valens name" and the connection ended.

I wait for Sheriden to finish, my every thought is poor bastard! When they have finished, I tell them my news, what I saw. I hold nothing back.

"My god", Susan exclaims. "They really mean to kill everything! Don't they?"

"Are you sure it's not a trick?" asks Michael suspiciously.

"I'm sure" answers Sheriden.

Lorien has left Babylon 5, obfuscating his exit and in another dimension meets a changed human, one who has acquired power a million of years before time – Jason Ironheart. He has exceeded the power of both Vorlons and Shadows, being only slightly lesser than either him or the Triad. Both energy forms converse not using telepathy, but are conversing in pure concepts.

"_You must leave with the other First Ones, none can remain behind" _the very First One announces

_"Why should I? I will remain to watch humanity grow. Guard them" _

_"I'm sorry but it is not permitted" state the Triad. _

_"Will you stop me?" _

_"Yes" all three echo. _

_"I had hoped to see Sinclair again, in a million years" _

_"We will all return briefly in a million years and take them with us beyond the rim of this universe and beyond" _answers part of the Triad representing order.

_"The cycle will continue" _states the Triad representing Chaos.

_"Yes, the cycle" _Jason whispers, a tinge of impatience ripples through his system, which is its own folly.

_"You do not possess a physical body now" _states the part of the Triad representing Neutrality.

"_Yes" _answers Jason impatiently.

_"You are new to this" _murmur the Triad, now in unison, "_you will learn and in turn teach the Ieldra that will follow your path"_

Lorien returns to Babylon 5, none know he was even gone, such is the Ancients' power.

It has been a few days since the Alliance members have seen the vid. Ever since my contact with Lorien my head has not stopped hurting, I have a constant headache. I know something is very wrong, but do not have time to devote to a check up, although I go to see Stephen anyway.

"Hiya"

"Didn't think I'd be seeing you here anytime soon"

"Just thought I'd pop in and see if you had anymore info on the assassin. A part of the puzzle is missing"

"Just the basics" lied the thing that was Stephen Franklin, "it is obviously stronger, faster and more agile than either human or Mimbari"

"What about the tech involved?"

"I worked with Garibaldi and it is centuries ahead of us. It uses some kind of advanced chameleon field, bending or refracting light"

"Tell me something I don't know" I state testily. Stephen is about to say something, but I feel, sense others of my species. My eyes have that glassy look, of inward reflection, _sensing _and I realise help has arrived- although I cannot see them-yet.

"I have to go" and do not give Stephen a chance to finish and immediately enter the 'under-time'. I 'break out' in the Conference lounge where all the Alliance Council meetings take place.

They are all there, Sheriden, Garibaldi, Susan & Delenn, all having a conversation which stops abruptly with my appearance. Michael, the ever suspicious one watches, "Are you…..okay?"

"Sorta……yeh. Why"

"You look kinda, worried"

"Do I?"

"Something wrong Addad?"

"It is usual in my culture, when one is worried to….how do you put it?"

"Speak what is on your mind" says John, finishing Delenns' sentence for her. _They will be a perfect couple._ I never have chance to utter another word for all the Council Members arrive- gods one and all.

"Frelling hell!" I exclaim, grabbing a chair for support. "You scared the living shit out of me"

"Are they?" Susan mouthed, "Is that?" She gasped.

"Slow down Susan" Sheriden re-assured.

"Yahweh?" She asked looking at the handsome figure with a close cropped white beard.

"Yes child. It is I". I could see him immediately fall into his role of godly father figure. Quite frankly at this point in time _it made me sick to my stomach_. He immediately turned and looked at me, "show respect underling" he barked at me. _I was getting sick of everyone reading my frakking mind_.

"Now just wait one damn minute" said Sheriden authoritatively.

"How dare you" started Yahweh. He was stopped by Zeus' hand on his forearm, "Wait. That is not why we are here"

"Caution is urged Supreme Chancellor". This was from Shiva. They were all still in combat tunics.

"Indeed" came the sing-song voice of Lady Gaea, which immediately caused my heart to speed up and my cheeks to flush with colour.

"This is my damn station. Someone please tell me what and who the hell they are!" shouted Sheriden, looking directly at me.

"I am sorry" I said apologising. "Let me introduce the Council Members. They form the government of my people".

I performed the introductions and all seemed semi-awed by them. Once you have met Lorien, everyone sort of pales in comparison. _I mean, how could Yahweh even compare to a being that is over 10 billion years old?_ Answer, he can't; no matter how imposing.

"Masters……if I may? But why are you here?"

"That is a good question" remarked an unseen voice that was not present before. A humanoid figure appeared out of nowhere, made of pure darkness. I would have thought a Shadow construct, if I could not have sensed her, she was one of us. "Who?" I exclaimed, noticing all the assembled Council Members went to one knee out of respect.

"It is Nyx" whispered Gaea, her sing-song voice carrying. I stayed standing with the others.

"It has been a long time since I have seen you child. It is good to see you have grown" she said in a voice like nails on a blackboard; it was almost impossible not to flinch or squirm in discomfort.

"Me?" I asked.

"Who did you think I was talking to?" She said, an arm of purest darkness made a sweeping gesture at the Council Members, "them?" she spat, disdainfully- the sound was now like a pride of lions scratching a blackboard. I was fairly certain the frequencies went into the ultra-sonics. Garibaldi stared her straight in the eye and I don't know who looked away first.

"Is this better?" she asked.

"Yes much" replied John. "What are you all doing here?"

"We cannot allow the action of the First Ones to go unchallenged"

Several hours later and Susan has left with Lorien to search for any remaining First Ones, "Why do you think they are really here?" asked John.

"They certainly want to get back at both First Ones for the death of our people. As do I"

"Revenge is a fairly simple motive Captain" remarked Garibaldi. "They've both killed an awful lot of people"

"Time is getting critical" said John.

"We have the biggest fleet ever assembled outside" said Delenn.

"Did Susan have the Galactica refitted like I asked?"

"I believe so"

"It is almost time" said John exhaling loudly, "the fleet is waiting"

I was in my room gathering a few effects, not that I had much. My door chimed, and I could sense another of my species. "Come in" I said and when I saw Yahweh walk in. "Why are you here?" I asked a little too belligerently.

"Don't be so hostile underling. I came to apologise about my outburst earlier"

"Oh" I said, more than a little embarrassed. You know when you feel like an idiot and you become all self conscious, well that was me 'round 'bout now.

"I came to give you a few things" he said and reached into one his trouser pockets, undoing the Velcro and holding a hypo-syringe.

"Oh no you don't" I said backing away from him. _Why was I so terrified all of a sudden? _"What the hell is that?"

"It holds a combination of things"

"So tell me!" I said quite forcefully. Yahweh grabbed a chair and sat down, without so much as a "May I" or "Would you mind if I sat?"

"The injection contains the ability to travel via the 'Mobius Continuum', the first injection we gave you was a failure. Plus the ability to Quantum teleport"

"Go on" I urged. It was obvious that he could see I would not budge on this issue, and sighed resignedly.

"Okay" he said, and reached into another pocket and retrieved a data pad and placed it on the table in front of me. "This" Yahweh gestured, "contains hidden knowledge of our people. Information heretofore restricted to Council Members"

"Why are you doing this? Are you leaving?"

"It is possible that none of the Council will survive this encounter with the Vorlons or Shadows and this information needs to be made public- to you and the other races"

"What does it contain?" I was positively salivating at what this might contain and tried to contain my enthusiasm.

"Firstly I must tell you something about our origins. All of the Council Members, with the exception of Lillith who is a Pre-Entity, are immortals"

"WHAT!!!!" I shouted a little too loudly. "How can you give shelter to one such as her?" I didn't know what to ask next.

"She is different and does not share the same appetites as the rest of her….", he paused, "species"

"Are you frakking crazy!" I said rising. Yahweh saw it a mile away and placed a hand on my shoulder, "There is more for you to hear first" and guided me back to my chair and continued in an almost gentle voice, re-assuring, fatherly.

I was interested in what he had to say, but concerned about time. _Would there be more hidden agendas & schemes? _"Okay, so what is suddenly so important?"

Yahweh shifted on his chair, a little uncomfortably and if I had to put a label on it I would say squirming. "Well, you know about the Old Ones? What do you know from around eighty thousand years ago?"

"Nothing other than general history as taught in our schools"

"Let me be more specific then. What do you know about the war between the Old Ones and their subsequent incarceration?"

"Nothing, just rumours and basic mythology"

"Well things came to a head as the Old Ones and their servitor races had caused about as much death and destruction as could be tolerated. We managed to imprison them. I won't bore you with battle details, but the losses were catastrophic; the earth was devastated"

"The Earth?"

"Yes. For you see the Old Ones are known by many names one being the Eddorians, another being the Kelvin and they originated from our galaxy the Andromeda"

"I never knew this. Why is this not in the histories?"

"Because it would upset people. What many Ieldra would find more upsetting is that Eddorians home planet is Query"

"I don't believe you. All I've got from you is deception and lies!"

"This is the truth underling. This is why the true histories are hidden – it would create uproar"

"So you're from Earth? Are the Seraphim from Earth too?"

"We are the immortal gods of Earth, as are the Seraphim, who left using the technology of the Old Ones thousands of years ago. We arrived on Query and all the Queryans then stole technology from other races either past, present or future– wiping out any that were deemed a threat. At least until one very powerful Queryan was about to rebel against the Council then; he was called Loki"

"What happened? Where did Loki go?"

"We arrived and forcibly removed the Council and stopped any more technology theft, banning the use of any time diving abilities. We then renamed the race Ieldra, taking on a new identity and purpose"

"And Loki?"

"He's travelling and welcome to return any time"

"Where does Methos fit into this?"

"Methos was one of the first of a race of Quickening immortals. Lillith was a blood immortal, they are known as haemovores or their more common name is vampires"

"What now?" I asked

"We prepare to fight the Shadows and Vorlons" he said and walked out of my room with Loren; finally I was alone to my own thoughts once more. As though it couldn't get much worse!

I looked at the data pad and put it in a drawer, no time to examine the data. What I really wanted to know is, where did all of this knowledge come from? If they knew it, surely some of it could have been used to save our people; unless even the Council did not understand the information.

I walked through the Zocalo, which was surprisingly empty. But considering what was going to happen, who could blame them. I was terrified myself, well I guess the old idiom is true, _no one gets out of life alive_. I knew that I would end up leaving the ship and either helping in the ground fighting, or drop quantum grenades from the 'under-time'. I suppose I could have flashed through straight to the White Star, but I was enjoying the walk, it was almost a meditation, getting myself ready for hardships to come.

There was no Ambassador Mollari on the gaming tables, in fact I hadn't seen him in a while. It had occurred to me that other than psychic sickness I hadn't really had the opportunity to relax, and I guess now wouldn't really be the right time. I stopped, and sat on a chair and wondered

_Now this is a fine mess I'd gotten myself into. _Very Laurel and Hardy.

_What had prompted my arrogance; no, our races arrogance to interfere and meddle in the affairs of other races? _

It was presumptuous to say the least, "Damn, damn & frelling damn" I muttered to myself, while simultaneously holding my head in my hands. I began to massage my temples, another headache was brewing. With a deep sigh I got up and made my way to the hangar bay, there I would meet Sheriden and Delenn.

"Ring a ring of roses" somebody started to sing. An old Earth rhyme, and I realised it symbology; _death_, an apt metaphor really for the plague that had killed many of my race; _whatever that was._ I made my way to the lift and pressed the relevant button, waiting for it to arrive.

Minutes later I had arrived and they were both waiting for me, as were all the Council Members & Lyta, my saviour from the Shadows.

"Took your time, didn't you?" remarked Zeus.

"I had a few things on my mind"

"We heard as you're not too good at keeping those thoughts of yours silent nowadays!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I retorted. Thinking about it, I did seem to be broadcasting my intentions to those with psychic inclinations, which I had never done before. _Could it be something the Shadows had done? Possibly. Something to do with Lorien?_ I just did not know, what I did know was that everyone was watching me contemplate my left butt cheek.

"Is there some problem Addad?" asked the Captain in his official voice.

"Er…..no. I'm sorry Captain"

"Good, now if we can get under way without any more baiting or recriminations", he stalked towards the shuttle with Delenn, and all the present Ieldra following behind. The shuttle journey to the White Star was routine and the air was alive with tension, all we needed was an amateur violin player like me to open my big fat mouth and things could easily erupt- so I kept schtum.

The White Stars never fail to awe me, such magnificent ships, a tribute to a feat of engineering by the younger races; albeit with a little Vorlon help.

"Captain, we're getting a feed"

"Show me". The holographic screen showed an early type Star Destroyer fighting a Shadow Battlecrab. What I expected to see was the Galactic Republic ship give a good accounting of itself, but ultimately to lose and be destroyed. That didn't happen, the Shadow vessel just opened up with the purple cutting beam and sliced the Star Destroyer in half, like it wasn't there, straight through its shields. _Holy Frakking crap! _

"Holy Frakking crap!" one of Ieldra gasped, I did not know who. I was in shock.

"That should never have happened" said Zeus.

"Why?" I asked Delenn.

"Their usual conduct is to have their ships a few centuries ahead of what is currently in use; make the races strive for victory"

"How do you know this exactly?" inquired Delenn.

"Never mind" answered Zeus.

"Never mind. Lives are hanging in the balance!" Delenn shouted, marching around a console to confront him.

"Let it be Delenn" remarked Sheriden. I suspected he knew more than he was telling, in fact I was going to be the last know; as usual. _This could be an interesting flight._

I looked at Sheriden, "Some fleet"

"You could say that"

"Well at least we might win?" I asked, trying to bring a little optimism.

"Against the Vorlons or the Shadows. No"

"Well, why the fleet?" I asked. "What is going on?"

"That is what we're going to find out. Show that transmission to the fleet and prepare to jump. Maybe, just maybe, the truth might set us free"

"Jump!" Sheriden commanded.

"How long until we reach Coruscant, after going through the rift?"

"Ten hours"

"Okay, I'm going to get some rest, work in three hour shifts so everyone is fresh" and off Sheriden walked. _How could you sleep with that kind of pressure?_

Over the last few days, thousands of the insect like creatures with acid blood had initially started a guerrilla war, and eventually as more victims succumbed to implantation, so their army grew. Once it was at optimum levels, they struck. Their speed, agility and sheer aggression was taking its toll. Untold thousands were dead, many more were awaiting implantation.

The battle field on Coruscant was not a pretty one, clone troopers fought to keep the creatures at bay. The fighting had started in earnest here hours ago. The Champion of Chaos was about to enter the conflict, "_Control the troops"_ was the telepathic command from its' Master. Finding somewhere comfy to sit, it concentrated and began to use _Sith Battle Meditation_ to pull the troops into line.

The drones swarmed over the clone troopers, an enemy wounded or killed caused yet more losses, their acid blood burning through armour, claws rending flesh. Smoke obscured their vision, modern battlefields were no different. The drones surprised many clones who were surprised that such large creatures could emerge from small such crevices. The battle did not go well.

The remaining Jedi took to the battlefield, those that were still alive. The Champion emerged from its Battle Meditation, and drew two lightsabers and took to the field of battle itself.

"Sir, I'm picking up a ship on long range, it's a White Star"

"That'll be Susan bringing the remaining First Ones"

"Sir transmission from Ivanova. Lorien wants to come over"

"Fine, send over shuttle and pick him up". The atmosphere on the bridge was electric, everybody tense, we were going to meet the oldest being in the universe. Minutes passed, and Lorien walked onto the bridge.

"I'm glad you're back" John, remarked without looking back.

"It is good to see you all again. Especially the Ieldra; it has been a long time" said Lorien, with a slight smile on his face. _I nearly missed it, he knew the Council Members; every bloody one of them_. _So he really had been in my room with Yahweh!_

The bridge was kinda crowded at this minute in time, but we were almost there. My inner voice refused to be quiet and kept trying to tell me something. I looked at Yahweh, anger burning behind and in my eyes, and he saw it. It was then Lorien approached me, "Sometimes anger can sometimes be an effective tool, but where the mind is required; it can be a hindrance".

"Yes, you're right" I said, and exhaled trying to clear my mind of anger. _Note to self, read that damn data pad when I get back._

We arrived above Coruscant, with a large Galactic Republic fleet awaiting us.

"Can you arrange some nukes on a few asteroids?" inquired Sheriden, "nothing obvious".

"Sure, not a problem" said Lennier. Hours past, and the tension never let up; ready to explode at any minute.

When the First Ones arrived, and it seemed finally that our waiting had been over.

Jump points appeared, and from within these were the _Vorlons_, and several planet killers; the Shadows followed, just phasing into normal space. _First Ones, punctual as ever_!

"Open a channel"

"This is Captain Sheriden of the Alliance fleet, please stand down"

"They're not taking any notice of us" I remarked, as we observed both fleets ignore our ships; like we weren't a threat. We had obviously under-estimated them and their technology.

"You cannot destroy a planet that was unwittingly used by the Shadows thousands of years ago"

"Nothing" said Lennier.

"Mister Lennier, give me control of mines 5 through 17"

"Done".

Sheriden pressed a keypad, broadcasting another communication, "Gentlemen, this is your wake up call", and then pressed another which caused the mines to explode. In the para-time history, never to be, this act had destroyed dozens of ships, or so I would read in the data padd years later. Many of the vessels this time survived, shielding systems activated, or the blast was absorbed by advanced armour millions of years more advanced than ours.

But as recent events had shown us the First Ones were no longer holding back, as they obviously did in that para-time future; but coming at us full force with all the technology at their disposal.

"Frakking didley shit!" boomed Yahweh angrily. "Sorry to have to blow this party, but I'm gonna quantum teleport and do them some them damage. Anyone want to join me?" and disappeared. _What was quantum teleporting anyway when it was at home? How did it differ to usual teleportation?_ Questions for later!

Yoda leaped and dodged, using not just his normal Jedi Skills; but those acquired from the Dark Quickening. He was peaceful and serene one minute, the next overcome with anger and the **dark side**, yet no matter what the injury - he healed. He had foreseen this trial, to fight Champion of the Shadows, the one that had ruthlessly killed and destroyed so many Jedi and innocents. He knew its strength, and suspected its weakness. Facing the eight foot tall warrior wielding twin yellow lightsabers the contest began. Fighting continued all around them, and yet all seemed to keep a respectful distance; almost as if they instinctively knew. Circling each other, waiting for the other to attack, watching for a weakness that both knew was not there. Suddenly Yoda attacked, and the creature parried.

It relished this challenge that it had waited so long for. Yet it also knew one of its Masters was watching and slowly drawing close to their position, for even if it died and lost; death was not assured. The Shadows might yet capture its consciousness and torture it indefinitely. _Fear_ of its Masters caused it to grow in strength, **the dark side, **empowered it. It ducked, parried and began to force the Master Jedi backwards. Yet strangely, the Jedi had not drawn on any force skills yet; and seemed to be relying on sheer ability. It did not fear the Jedi, for its own skill was equally great.

Yoda could sense the insect like aliens, some possessed force ability, yet they seemed to possess very little individuality. _Hive mind._ He turned and dodged, parried and twisted. Yet no matter what he did, the creature was relentless.

Another lightsaber strike narrowly missed his arm, which would have removed it at the wrist. One of the hive creatures attempted to interrupt their fight and jumped at Master Yoda, who rolled away and used the force to throw it at his assailant, who simply dodged and cut it in half with a lightsaber. The resultant release of superheated fluids splashed all over it, causing the Champion of the Shadows to back-peddle and wait for healing to take place. It is at this point Yoda attacked mercilessly, and used the dark side to fuel his strengths. Unfortunately it could not heal fast enough, and Yoda decapitated it with a single strike.

The Champion of Chaos had underestimated Yoda, who had taken much time to understand the knowledge contained in his Quickening, Dark & Light, and had used it to beat his adversary. The Quickening flowed out of the Champion of Chaos, lifting the corpse and Yoda high in the air. A white mist flowed out of it into Yoda, followed by numerous arcs of lightning; most of which Yoda contained within his diminutive frame. The few that did escape across the battlefield, Yoda directed towards the oncoming drones, which killed dozens. Many were blown apart, body fluids exploding over clones; others spontaneously combusted.

The Council Members appeared back quite quickly, although a few Vorlons & Shadow ships had been destroyed.

"Little bastards are preventing Calabi-Yau manipulation somehow!" Zeus fumed.

"Can't get near using the 'under-time' either" said Yahweh, both looked hot and bothered. Other Council Members appeared, very dishevelled looking.

"I guess things didn't go too well then?" I gloated completely unnecessary.

"Lyta, can you talk to them?"

"I'll try Captain"

"If we can't talk to them, we can't win. I won't let it end this way. I won't!"

I could sense that Master Yoda was in danger, an actual Shadow was on the planet surface and about to engage him in personal combat. "I have to go, Yoda is in danger" and disappeared into the 'under-time' straight to Coruscant, and near to the diminutive Jedi Master. Standing before us, was a Shadow Warrior, the General of this army. Yoda's robes were tattered to say the least, yet he seemed strangely in control, free of the dark side or rather dark Quickening influence. Yoda seemed to be ignoring the Shadow, and flexed his hands and fingers; and suddenly white claws of energy shot from his fingertips, about six inches long. _Frakking hell! _These then retracted, and I watched as Shaqarava opened up in the palm of his hands.

He had somehow acquired the energy claws of a type five Atavus, and the Shaqarava of a type four Atavus and it was then I saw the body of the creature in my visions, dead. I could sense the residual Quickening in the air, "Was it?"

"Yes it was" he replied, "but a threat no longer it is".

"_It won't help you_" the Shadow transmitted telepathically and watched as a meta-psychic forcefield surrounded us, bodies of adversaries and lasers bounced off the outside of it. I raised my hands in a defensive position as it shot a bolt of pure electromagnetic energy straight at me. Hoping to use that ephemeral energy known as the force to absorb it without harm. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I absorbed part of the energy, the rest just overloaded my defenses, ruptured cells, superheated the fluids in my arm – which exploded rather spectacularly; hanging rather uselessly at my side. I fell to my knees and remember hearing someone scream; _was that me?_

It fired another burst of electromagnetic energy from its head at me, but Yoda intercepted it, and raised both hands and absorbed what I couldn't. "Win, you cannot" stated Yoda. I felt something from the Shadow, it was somehow drawing energy from somewhere. _Where? _What had that feel to it? _Hyperspace_, it was using that medium to increase its powers-_Sith Alchemy_? The First Ones couldn't use the force, unless my understanding of everything was wrong.

_"Need help I do"_ is the telepathic signal I got from Yoda. I stood, despite the pain, the urge to pass out and vomit-not in any particular order I might add, and I slowly crawled cradling bad damaged arm towards the small Jedi Master; "What can I do?" I croaked, my throat dry all of sudden.

Yoda grabbed my good hand, and I felt him draw energy away from me, my cells, _my lifeforce_. He said "Stopped they must be, on this all depends", but what I got telepathically from him was "_Thought bomb"_. I could vaguely hear him chanting, but could not stand anymore and fell to my knees once more; my awareness dimmed and I felt the world begin to go black. _I was dying_, being drained by Yoda to fuel the S_ith Alchemy, _hopefully to kill the Shadow. At least my death would count for something.

Before the Shadow could do whatever it was going to, the _thought bomb_ went off, and the forcefield evaporated and then energy spread out from our position. It went for the nearest first, the Shadow, and I felt its' death screams as Carapace armour and bio-electric energy were ripped asunder. _Why was I not dead?_ I looked up to see wings of purest light descending from the heavens, of golden skin and dark hair. I raised my good hand to my face to blot out the sunlight, and realised the wings were made of feathers, "Who?" I whispered, barely able to speak.

"I am Metraton" he replied, "and it is I who protected you from destruction" and waving a hand at the battlefield, "most were not so lucky". I gasped in shock at the power of Yoda's Thought Bomb. There was virtually nothing left but ash, thousands of living beings had been atomised, totally destroyed, nothing left to bury.

"Let me help you" Metraton said very softly and laid a hand on my shoulder, I felt the pain subside and my arm begin to heal. Tissue, fascia, bone, tendon and sinew all re-knit. I appraised my limb, it was not totally healed, although it did look like it had been covered in petrol and set on fire; but a definite improvement.

"At least the pain is gone"

"For a while at least, but it will return shortly; at least until you seek help"

"What is happening up there?" I said pointing with my bad arm, which was its own punishment.

"Let me take you back up there" said Metraton. All I had the strength for right now was to nod.

"Stay here I must, survey the damage I will" stated Yoda, and walked back towards whatever was left.

I appeared on the White Star Bridge to see Lyta, her eyes were glowing white, like two, two thousand watt bulbs, "You thought we could not touch you, but you were wrong" and John was enveloped in a white field of electromagnetic energy, "And you" Lyta continued, in eyes of darkness ebony, looked at Delenn "they left for us"; and she too was enveloped in the same energy. I, the Council Members and Metraton were about to start forward, but Lorien stopped us all, raising a hand to bar our way. "No. If you interfere now, you might kill them and lose your one chance to end this" said Lorien as he made a sweeping gesture with his arm, "They are somewhere else now"

Delenn appeared in a place of purest night, blackness was all around her, and walking towards her was a Franklin construct, "All of you so called superior species are alike, trying to play god, to control our lives".

"We only seek to improve you, through war, conquest and victory"

"At what cost?"

"Through evolution will you survive, the weak races perish, the strong races become stronger"

John appeared in a place of similar darkness, but in front of him was a woman in a white dress, who appeared to be inside some kind of crystal, a bit like a fly in amber. A veil covered her eyes and she had some kind of choker around her neck, with a red gem set in it.

"We do not understand you, we only want the best for you"

"How? You kill millions just to prove a point? You see I didn't realise the rules of conduct until I saw both your planet killers in operation. You had the power to destroy Z'Ha'Dhum all along"

"You do not understand"

"Oh but I do, and that's what got you worried"

"They are a disease"

"Yes! You just want to kill the message, make it harder for them to reach us. You're all the same seeking to maintain power whether it be President Clark, or President Bush or any other leader for that matter"

_Somehow, Lorien had allowed us to see it all_.

At this point Zeus' anger was reaching critical point, and the ship was starting to shake which caused Lorien to lose his balance and fall forward slightly, hands entering the electrical field.

"Take my hand. Quickly" he said to both Sheriden and Delenn. The field died down, and they appeared unharmed and Sheriden hugged Delenn very briefly.

"Captain. The Shadow cloud does not appear on our instruments and is starting to surround us. Something is draining our power and it leaves us with only ten minutes of life support"

"So now they're going to just kill us? I can't believe it!" Sheriden roared.

"Sir, incoming transmission from one of the Star Destroyers, Admiral Tarkin. Audio only"

"Put him on Mister Lennier"

"Captain Sheriden, it is an honour. With your permission we have a bit of surprise for the Vorlons and the Shadows"

"Be my guest"

"Captain, a signal has just been sent out of system"

"I hope whatever they have in mind gets here quick"

"I don't believe it" said Delenn, "look at the size of it!" examining the instrument panel from behind Lennier.

"What!"

"Some kind of space station almost 900 kilometers across, accompanied by almost a dozen other Star Destroyers. One is almost 19 kilometers long itself"

"Christ on a bike" said Yahweh, which got him lots odd looks. "It's my religion; I can say what I like" he remarked defensively.

"Not technically" stated Lorien, admonishing the younger lifeform.

"Is it ours?" enquired Sheriden worriedly.

"It is giving off Galactic Republic transponder signal and has certainly got their attention"

"Advise the crew on the Death Star to open fire at the Vorlon Planet killer" said the voice of Admiral Tarkin.

What I saw next scared the living shits out of me, again. I've spent a lot of time being scared of late; but at least I know that I'm alive. Half a dozen green laser beams joined together to form one cohesive superlaser. It hit the Vorlon planet killer dead centre, blowing it apart. The shockwave and the remains of the Vorlon planet killer was blasted into nearby ships, tearing through Shadow & Vorlon ships like paper.

"They're really, really pissed now!" said Lyta.

"I never knew we had that kind of firepower. Send a signal to all ships, attack". Looking at the displays, the Star Destroyers were all converging, forming a flying wedge of ships. The Shadows or Vorlons could get one, but not without being targeted by all the rest; very clever indeed.

"The Vorlons have sent a call for all remaining ships"

"Let's go lend the Republic ships a hand"

Minutes into the fight, and things were getting 'hairy', Vorlons were on one side of the Star Destroyers, Shadows the other. Classic pincher movement, and it still felt like we were in sandbox between two giants. It also seemed like time was slowing down, and all of a sudden all movement stopped. None of our ships could move, all were frozen in space, and I tried to move a leg to find that it too was stuck in place. "What the hell?" remarked Sheriden.

"Sir the Shadow Cloud is enveloping us, including the Republic ships"

"Mr Lennier, can you move anything?"

"Just my hands"

"Good, send the signal to call in the rest of the First Ones"

"Yes sir"

Suddenly in several blazes of light, they appeared. Not appearing through traditional 'jump' technology as we knew it, but hopefully our saviours had arrived. Two turned their energy upon the Shadow Planet-Killer, the others upon the remaining Vorlon Planet-Killer, as both exploded in a spectacular light display. Slowly we began to able to move again, and the fight continued.

We were still outgunned, at least until the Death Star started firing again. Still clasping my arm, fearful the wound would re-open, I couldn't shake the idea that something nasty was still coming our way. _Maybe I had been hanging around Garibaldi far too long?_ Sometimes, my hunches turn out to be right.

We fought and we danced, yet unless we combined the firepower of half a dozen ships we couldn't slow down either Shadows or Vorlons. We were going to lose! It was then, complete disaster struck, two larger Vorlon ships began to systematically cripple the Star Destroyers, and half a dozen large Shadow Battlecrab began their dissection of the Death Star. Before it could get a lock on them, they either phased out of normal space, or accelerated beyond our ability to compensate.

It was almost 'lambs to the slaughter'. "Captain" said Zeus.

"What?"

"This cannot go on"

"I know"

"What did you have in mind?"

At this point, it appeared the universe took a breath, watching to see which way the events would continue. "We have no choice"

"What choice is that?" I asked. Several crashes later, I avoided a strut that hit a nearby console. "What is the damage Mr Lennier?"

"Weapons are down to twenty percent, jump engines off line, and down to manoeuvring thrusters, but repair systems are working to repair the damage"

"Captain!" I shouted, as the bridge shook several times and I almost lost my footing; I really didn't want to know the pounding the ship was taking. _Actually I did, just in case I needed to jump ship._

"Captain" I yelled. "We cannot win, we either need to run, or……"

"I know that!" He shouted back. Again the ship took more damage, and other White Stars, and Alliance ships exploded. "Send the signal"

"What signal?" asked Lennier.

"We surrender"

"John! No!" Delenn shouted.

"We can't go on, the casualties are too high. We can only hope that we can agree to some terms". I saw a tear almost escape Delenns' eye, and she watched Sheriden. "Mr Lennier. I just hope they don't kill us out of spite"

"Sending it now"

"Bring us to a full stop, not that we're moving very fast"

Then, two solid holograms appeared, one a Vorlon, the other a Shadow.

"You shall all die for your insolence" said the Vorlon.

"You could've chosen evolution through conflict, but now you must die" said the hologram of the Shadow.

Then something else happened in our favour, one huge ship appeared in the shape of a cross, and orbiting it like electrons were some kind of lights. Other ships followed, some had shapes that seemed to be constantly shifting. _First Ones we didn't recognised, who brought them? _The Vorlons and Shadows were surrounded by First Ones! "It would seem that none of the others approve of your actions" said the Very First One.

"You were here to shepherd the lesser races, but not only do we not need you anymore, we can't afford you anymore!" retaliated John.

"Just as I taught you, you must now step aside and allow the younger races to stand alone. To grow into their own"

"Will you come with us?" asked the hologram representing order.

"You won't leave us?" inquired the hologram representing chaos.

"No. We will see all those that have gone beyond the rim, all those years ago" stated a very sad and melancholy Lorien.

Personally, I thought they both sounded frelling whiney at this point, "please don't leave us daddy", "the dark is ever so scary daddy", "won't the bogeyman get me"; and these were the so called shepherds of the younger races. _Frak me!_ But if it's this or death, I'll try not to look the nice little gift horse in the mouth.

Both images vanished, and multiple jump points formed; as the Vorlons left. The Shadows did that phasey thing and vanished. Lorien turned, "That's why it was important to get all the remaining First Ones; none could stay behind this time" and looked pointedly at the Council Members.

"Time for you to go too" said Sheriden.

"They're not First Ones!" I said.

"Yes, they are" replied John, "him too, and his companions" pointing at Metraton.

"How did you know?" asked Yahweh.

"Something was not right and when Lorien recognised you. It was obvious you had to be far older than any of you had acknowledged"

"'Fair enough" " said Yahweh. "Goodbye Addad and all". Swarthy Ea, with his goatee looked at me, almost tears in his eyes, but I didn't understand and said "Goodbye" and vanished with all the other Council Members.

"No…wait!" I shouted, stretching out my bad arm, in a plea; reaching out for them. Most of what Metraton had done to heal me was undone, and the pain caused me to collapse. My arm ripped apart and blood exploded all over the deck - mercifully I blacked out.

While I was unconscious, celebrations took place on Babylon 5, the rest of the galaxy associated with Earth never even knew about the Vorlons & the Shadows; except for those working behind the scenes – pulling the occasional string, and they were not happy.

People sang, danced, & ate aplenty. They were free from imminent and certain death, for today anyway. And it is here on a walkway through the Zocalo that Captain Sheriden watches, glad to be alive - where once on Z'Ha'Dhum he was dead. As his heart beats, and for this he is happy –although at best twenty more years remain for him. John sees Dr Franklin dancing with a woman, and he wants more, twenty years are not enough.

John Sheriden at this minute is a contradiction, overcome with sadness and happiness at the same time. It is then that his heart skips a beat at seeing Delenn on the other side of the walkway, coming towards him.

"John what is it?"

"It's nothing Delenn" he says. Looking back over his shoulder at the festivities, and then admires the human /Mimbari hybrid standing next to him. "It's just, I can't help but wonder what is next"

"I think for one day even you can be happy" she replies. John exhales quite loudly, although no one below hears him, "I s'pose you're right" and off they walk together.


	10. Earth Under Threat

Chapter 10

Not everyone is happy though, some have to 'lick' their wounds, address other problems. For the Centauri everything has been wiped away as though it does not exist, not just their art, culture, & history; but wildlife and innocent lives and in fact their whole world. For today Londo Mollari is extremely unhappy, and very, very angry. "Aaaaaaaah" he shouts. "Why did we put up with that mad, idiot of an Emperor?"

"We didn't have a choice, he would have killed us, and anyone involved!"

"That's not the point Vir, we didn't even try! Now our whole world, everything is ashes!"

"We can re-build, make a new life somewhere else"

"Where? The once great Centauri Republic is in ruins, and no other planet will be quite the same!"

"What about the other races that have lost their homes, they must be going through the same thing"

"I don't care about the others right now, we have our own concerns" utters Prime Minister Mollari, of House Mollari.

"Yes we do, but what are we going to do about it?" counters Vir.

"Well we could re-occupy Narn for a start" utters the Minister of Defence.

"Live with a bunch of smelly barbarians for all eternity, no thank you" retorts Londo.

"What about sector 38?" offers the Minister of Banks and Finance.

"In ruins after the Shadows cleared the area for us"

"Where would you suggest then Prime Minister?" asks the Minister of Defence.

"Aaaaaah" Londo rages again. "Why are we stuck in this ship like; what is the human phrase Vir?"

Vir shakes his head, Londo knows that he is nervous among all the senior Ministers here, but pushes on, nonetheless. "Come one Vir, something to do with tin cans & fish. Mmmm?"

"I think the phrase the Prime Minister is after, is 'packed full like a tin can of sardines" answers the Minister of Intelligence.

"And why is it, I cannot have a private conversation without everyone putting; and here is another Earth phrase for you, 'in their two pence'? Mmmmm?"

"Sorry Prime Minister" are the replies voiced from all around.

"Well Vir. What do you think?"

"I don't….I…"

"Spit it out Vir" Londo replies angrily.

On his way back to Narn is 'one citizen' G'Kar, former slave and torture subject of ex-Emperor Cartagia. He is not the Narn he was once was, and possesses only one eye, for the Emperor "did not care for the way he looked at me", and requested one of the guards remove his eye. G'kar sees this not as a loss, but it allows him to see things with perfect clarity.

Glad to have escaped Centauri alive, Londo and others, now knows that his planet his free. G'Kar smiles to himself, "Freedom" he shouts in the confines of the shuttle to no one, for he is alone. Flying through hyperspace, he is almost upon the 'jump gate' that will take him home.

An hour later the shuttle lands, and G'kar surveys the broken cities, _it looks much worse from the ground_, from above it is easy to believe that he did not live here. _It makes his heart ache, all the lost friends, family_ as a result of the Centauri occupation. In fact G'kar is glad that the Centauri were not here when their planet was destroyed, for their jailors would have taken it out on them. A thought occurs, makes him worried, _what if the Centauri return and use the Narn as a cheap labour force to re-build their Republic_. G'kar tries to push away such a thought for it is as destructive as it is a distraction and one that will need addressing, _soon_, but not now.

I spent almost a one whole week on my back, my arm strapped up while my preternatural healing went to work. During that time, Sheriden came to see me a few times, as did many others. I don't remember much, but that is mainly due to skipping in and out of consciousness as well as being off my face on pain killers.

When I awoke I was in medbay, and Stephen was looking over me. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, I think" I replied, still feeling a little groggy, plus my throat felt like sandpaper, again.

"Hi" said my saviour from the Shadows.

"Lyta, what are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, cos I am" I said, and felt like my head was about to explode. All I could hear was like a background of constant whispering, continually changing. I had no idea what it was. She looked at Doctor Franklin, who seemed to nod.

"You're slowly becoming psychic somehow" she said, "and all the whispers, are peoples thoughts as they walk by"

"Oh" I said dumfounded.

"I'll just need to teach you to filter it out" she said. I looked up and could see Sheriden and sensed Yoda somewhere nearby. "Did we win?"

"You could say that. They're gone, every single one of them"

"Good. 'Bout time. What's happening?"

"Oh the usual" said Delenn with Johns' arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, nothing that can't wait for you to return to full health" remarked John, smiling.

"Maybe you two might get to spend some time alone, without interruption"

"Maybe" said Delenn also smiling, looking at John expectantly.

"We have a few things to attend to first"

"Such as?" I inquired.

"All in the fullness of time" Delenn answered cryptically. "Besides, someone else is here to see you" she said, looking down. Suddenly a green figure hoped onto a chair and looked at me expectantly. "Master Yoda!" I cried joyously.

"Good to see you it is".

"We have a new position for you to fulfil" said Delenn, again mysteriously.

"What is it?" I asked excitedly.

"Whenever you're fit" said Sherdien.

"I'm ready now" I remarked, and began to remove my blanket, only to realise I was naked. "Where's my clothes?"

"Oh, no you don't" remarked an exhausted Franklin, "Not for at least another day. Perhaps if you come back tomorrow?"

"Return tomorrow I will" said the diminutive Jedi Master.

The following day I got out of bed, my arm got the 'all clear' from Franklin, but I was told not to do anything strenuous. I slowly walked back to my room, and once inside shut the door. I could still hear a constant whispering, but tried to ignore it. I opened the drawer and took out the data pad, and eyed the syringe. Realising it was now or never, injected myself. _Was this the right decision?_ Too late now, and slowly walked to my bed and let sleep take me.

I looked at the clock, and two hours had passed. I felt new memories inside my mind, ones that would allow me to use the mobius continuum, and quantum teleport. Picking up my data pad I began the walk to C & C, hoping to find Sheriden there. As the lift opened, I saw Susan standing there.

"Hi Susan"

"You're up?"

"I am, just went to my room to collect a few bits and wondered where the Captain was"

"He's in his office"

"Thanks Susan. Do you know what John was going to tell me?"

"You'll have to ask him that"

"Thanks anyway" and went in the direction of John's office.

As I arrived at John's office, I knocked. "Come" he replied, and in I walked.

"Hi. I'm glad to see you're out of bed. Franklin was surprised that you managed to heal as fast as you did. Stephen thought that he was going to have to amputate; but something told me it wasn't necessary"

"I've got something for you Captain" and handed over the data pad.

"What's this?"

"It is information the Council Members kept to themselves, all kinds of hidden knowledge that I thought you would find useful"

"What kind?"

"I don't know. I've not had the opportunity to read much of it. I thought you might want to take a look yourself, maybe make a copy"

"Why are you handing it to me?"

"'Cos, I guessed a lot of re-building would be in order, and……well…..it's safer in your hands than anyone else, plus we need to show some kind of unity and that cannot happen if we keep information from one another"

"Thank you. I'll take a look at this shortly. Take seat Addad, there's something I want to ask you anyway"

"Sure" I said sitting down.

"It seems that the rest of your species are about to arrive from somewhere in the Galactic Republic, and quite frankly they want to find out how they fit into things"

"You want me to be their 'tour guide'?"

"Partly, it seems that since about a 10 mile square of Coruscant was destroyed, the planet seems to be in a gradually decaying orbit; and there seems that there is nothing we can do. So we're busy re-locating everyone to another nearby planet. But it would seem that Yoda has personally requested you to help in the new Jedi Academy"

"Are you okay with that Captain?"

"Well, officially you don't actually work for me. However, I have gotten used to having you around"

"Thanks. But why do I feel that I am waiting for the other shoe going to drop?"

"Actually…" began John. I knew it, here we go. "In addition to settling in the rest of your species, I have created a new position for you"

"What is it" I ask excitedly.

"I need you to act as liaison between the Jedi and security here, so you're going to actually acquire three separate areas of responsibility. It's going to be a big job- if you think you can handle it?"

"Yes…." I stammered, "thank you Captain".

"Good. I wasn't sure you'd accept"

I walked out of the Captains' office, with a slight 'jump' in my step.

You know I said that I was going to get some formal martial art instruction, I decided I would not be ready to fulfil my role without it. Long story…short, I tried to 'under-time' it to China, and arrived in Japan around the 16th century, remember some of my species can travel in time; or what remains of us. Deciding to heed the Councilm Member made sure I was very careful. Luckily, over the years I had been to both and could understand the dialects.

I arrived to the desolation, or what remained of a monastery. I thought I could see living shadows, but I initially believed myself mistaken, _fool!_ I found one monk who lay dying, of severe wounds. He raised a hand in my direction, hoping for comfort in his dying moments. I took it.

"I'm sorry" I said. "I wish that there is something I could do"

"It is okay" he whispered.

As I felt him die something happened, I felt a huge amount of energy transferred into my body. Little did I know he was an Enlightened Immortal, until much later, and transferring his dying consciousness directly into me. I noticed some of these shadows seemed to follow me, and felt a voice in my head warn me of the dangers. I looked around and wanted to go home, and grabbing his swords – _I don't know why I did this_ and I entered the 'under-time', not wanting to interfere in things that did not concern me; again.

I 'broke out' in my room, and sat on the bed, ruminating over things. I also knew that Yoda was waiting for me, but over the next few days, the errant consciousness soon made itself known to me, through dreams and slowly 'glued' itself to mine, so we were inseparable. I experienced his memories, albeit like looking through a photo album, and every ounce of his knowledge became mine. He was a Moshuh Nanren, extremely skilled at armed and unarmed combat, techniques of invisibility, secret mediation techniques & mudras, and the concentration and use of ki, also known as magic or the force. Never had I realised that the force was so versatile! Slowly, the other consciousness used ki and caused my body to change as though it had undergone all those years of training.

Realising I could not put off the inevitable. I went to see Yoda, although I was worried that he might sense some foreign influence within me. He was sitting on a divan cushion, next to him was Master Plo Koon and a new Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker. "Master Yoda" I said bowing.

"Recovered fully you have?"

"Yes. I understand that you wanted to see me?"

"Spoken to Sheriden, you have". It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes, you want me to help in the new Jedi academy?"

"But first, my Padawan learner you will become; restructure our teachings we will"

"Master?" said Anakin, looking up expectedly.

"Redundant, the Jedi have become, a new form they will take"

"What did you have in mind Master?" inquired Anakin, even Master Koon looked at Yoda expectantly.

"Gray Jedi we will become".

"Master are you sure that is wise?" asked Obi-Wan.

You know what me and my mouth are like? I opened it before I thought what I was asking, "What is a……Gray Jedi?"

"One that uses both sides of the force, yet is swayed by neither" replied Master Koon.

"Oh" I replied in synchronisation with Anakin. Thus was born the new Jedi and my training as a Padawan learner, _frelling superb!_

"Where is the new academy to be?" said Anakin, echoing my thoughts.

"We will start on Kashyykk; and as that grows maybe have another on to Dagobah"

"I have to go" I said. "The rest of my kind will be arriving soon, and I have preparations to make"

A couple of days later the rest of my species arrived on Babylon 5. We were fewer than I had thought, only two dozen Sanjian remained, 10 of those were females- usually called Damkini, or Dakini, it has never really mattered. The 150 were Ieldra, although I was really sure that name was applicable anymore. I took a head and name count, so I knew who had survived. I sorta hoped that others would eventually filter here, but I was not hopeful.

"Welcome back brothers and sisters" I said. I looked around the group, and knew Zack's security team were gonna have 'a cow' when they saw everyone was armed. Speaking of which, here he comes, with Captain Sheriden.

"Hi Captain" I echo pleasantly.

"Addad, are these the rest?"

"Yes, not as many as first thought"

"Are they armed?" enquired Zack.

"Yes we are" several echoed.

"I'm sorry, but all weapons must be passed over to security, and that's me" said Zack smiling. This comment caused quite a stir.

"No, we will not relinquish our weapons"

"No"

"Why should we?"

And so the comments went. "As I have been given the honour of leading us, for the moment" I said authoritatively. "It will not be for long"

"What did you have in mind?" asked Pai.

"I need to discuss it with you all first, and then with the Captain, and Master Yoda and few others- but I have already picked a home for us"

"Tell us"

"Yes tell us"

"Where?" You know I reckon that Captain Sheriden must have the patience of a saint, leading so many others as he does- without losing his temper and 'going off on one'. 'Cos 'round 'bout now I was getting seriously hacked off. I can understand their reticence, but c'mon people!

"Look, it'll be just a few nights, and then all will be revealed. Maybe sooner"

"Okay, for now I guess" said Pai. I think she might vie for leadership. _Who knows?_"

Slowly weapons were handed over, and Zack lead people to their rooms, many were three to a room, but that couldn't be helped. I watched them go daydreaming to times past. Mmmm…..._must keep my mind on my job_. "Well what did you have in mind Addad?" asked John.

"I had two places actually. Kashyykk where Yoda is having another Jedi Academy, but the problem is not enough humans –we will need stock to build up our race. I don't mean that to sound sordid or dirty either"

"No. That's quite understandable. Where else?"

"The other was Naboo, but they are still dealing with an infestation problem, or at least that's what the reports I get say. I may give them a choice"

"I'll need to discuss it with Yoda too, although I'm sure he'll agree"

"What makes you say that?"

"A majority of us that are left, have a few force skills already and it will be a good way to swell the Jedi ranks"

"Good thinking. If you need me to put a good word in for you, let me know"

"Thank you Captain. I 'preciate it"

In the Zocalo, Lyta Alexander was participating in a job interview.

"I'll just get a reference from Psi Corps and once that's done you can have the job"

"That might be a problem" she states. "I'm not actually a member anymore"

"Ah. Okay, thank you. Good day Miss Alexander"

"I thought you said that I had all right skills"

"You do, but it's the board of directors, lawyers. Without being a member of Psi Corps I cannot help. If it was up to me I'd give you a job. But….."

"Please" Lyta pleaded.

"I'm sorry" and Lyta was left alone.

Susan Ivanova, has been broadcasting the 'Voice Of the Resistance' for the last week; and storms into Sheridens office.

"I don't believe it" she vents, kicking a chair and slamming her hand down on the worktop. She has just seen a recent broadcast, and is soooo angry and wants to tell John exactly what happened. For right now, she wants to destroy things; having broke everything in her office already -and what wouldn't break; well she shot that with her PPG.

"Susan, stop! What is it?" inquires John, gently.

"I cannot believe they did it. Bastards! Animals!" she shouts once again.

"See" and she puts a data crystal, and both watch as an Earthforce Destroyer comes through a 'jump-gate' and destroys a ship. "There were innocent, men, women and children on board. All wanting to get out of the kill-zone"

Delenn had left so John could 'be dangerous'. Although he missed her, John had been quite happy up until now, having manipulated the races of the 'League of Non-Aligned Worlds into having White Stars patrol their borders, it had all been going so well. Except that servants of the Shadows had now shown themselves, The Drakh. Even that would be dealt with, but seeing Earthforce officers obey an order to kill civilians by the thousand, made his blood boil. "Any officer that obeys that kind of order is guilty of war crimes! I knew we needed to act against Earth at some point, but I have waited too long!"

"I know. But maybe they had been subject to Clarks' propaganda into believing that ship contained hostiles?"

"No Susan, that ship was unarmed and any officer would have seen that. There is no excuse! Time to gather the fleet"

I was half way through my first two weeks training on Kashyykk and Yoda interrupted my concentration, "Remember, a Jedi's strength flows from the force. Anger, fear, hatred and aggression, the dark side are these. Use them if you must. Consumed by them you must not be".

During my third week day I opened my big fat mouth again, you would think that having my consciousness joined with an Enlightened Immortal would make me wiser? Apparently not! "Master. What about the younglings? Will you take them away from their family as you did before?"

"No other choice, have we?"

"Actually you do. On Earth they have boarding schools, where children will live for X number of weeks in a year and then return home to their families for the remainder; summer holidays, end of year festivals and a couple of other weeks during the year". At this suggestion, Yoda's eyes almost lit up, partially surprise and I think that he now regretted taking children from loving families. "Plus" I continued. "The children can then draw strength from their family connections and from our order".

"A good idea this is"

"If, as you were thinking of having several such schools, they would each work to the year of the planet they were on"

"Something different I sense about you". _Maybe, just maybe I had gotten a little wiser_. I exhaled, quite noisily, as Master Yoda had been working me to exhaustion. "Nothing more will I teach you today".

"Good 'cos I'm beat. I'll tell you about why things are different tomorrow. G'night Master Yoda"

My days continued in that vain, as Yoda did not know the extent of my knowledge and began with the basics, working up – using both sides of the force. After I had endured one week of Yoda's training, and I was returning to my room, admiring the view of the huge trees that must be millennia old, older than me probably. _Amazing!_ I had showered and changed, and walking outside watched the others of my species, also engaged in training. For the most part many were ecstatic at being a part of something again and Freya, who was obviously named after the Earth goddes, came to see me - also freshly flushed from her shower.

"Well Addad. It was a good idea to come here"

"I'm glad you like it"

"Yes we do. We all do. But, it's, the Council Members were closed about learning to use our skills that many never bothered and relied solely on technology. Such a damn waste and I'm glad they're gone; in fact most of us are".

"Plus, Yoda can travel the same way we can"

"What!!! He can! I didn't know" she stammered.

"Neither did I. At least not until recently, but maybe by watching some of us; and copying he might help us to improve what we do- well that's what I'm hoping"

"Do any of the others know this?" she asked.

"Not yet, but feel free to tell them" I said and heard my computer beep at me, advising that a message was waiting for me, "'Scuse me".

"Computer, display message"

"Message from Captain Sheriden"

"Open", I said and saw an image of John appear.

"Hi Addad, I hope things are going well?"

"Fantastic actually, but somehow I know you're going to spoil 'the party'"

"I'm sorry about this, but we're moving against President Clark and I need you back here"

"How soon?"

"Now if that is possible"

"Fine Captain. Give me chance to pack a few things and I'll be there within a couple of days"

"Good, we'll wait on you" and the connection was cut. Things were going to hell again.

I grabbed a few things, and threw them in a bag. _I didn't know what was going on, and it worried me_. Putting my hold-all over my shoulder, I walked out to find that Freya was still there, "Something bothering you?"

"Captain Sheriden wants me, I don't know why" I said, and noticed that she was agitated. "Now something is bothering you"

"We've been debating about changing the name of our race, the Sanjian will stay as they are, but us" she said emphasising the lat word, "were never Ieldra"

"That's true. What are the choices?"

"Well we wanted to move away from any mythological names on earth"

"What about human?" She looked off into the distance very briefly. "Technically that's what we are; and gifted with certain traits or abilities they lack".

"Yes. You'll get no argument from any of us on that"

"Good that's settled then. I'll see you soon"

I exited the 'under-time', and arrived concealed in darkness in the Zocalo. I saw someone dressed all in black, boots, trousers and top; he had dark hair and a menace about him I really did not care for. He was talking to Lyta and she was about to sign something so I sauntered over, "Hi Lyta. Who's the stiff?" I asked irreverently.

"Hi. Oh nothing, nothing" she said all flustered.

"I know you better than that. Is he making you do something?" I pushed.

"I don't really think this is any of your business" the other chided.

"Says who? You" and gathered the force about me.

"You really don't want to try anything" replied the 'other'

"Anything, no, something – yes" I answered cryptically. "So spill it, or your blood is going over the floor" I threatened. I could feel the force telling me to guard my mind. All Jedi have mental defences, almost like an ethereal energy barrier guarding against intrusion. _Something about him screamed bully boy!_

Unwittingly, sparks were emitted from my fingertips. "So you're a technomage? You think I'm scared of the likes of you?"

"I'm no creation of the Shadows"

"I've always wondered where they came from" he replied jovially. "What Miss Alexander signs is down to her"

"Maybe, but not when she is being manoeuvred and bullied into doing something she hates" and gave him a force shove; knocking him back five feet.

"It's not your concern" Lyta remarked defensively. "It's my choice"

"I'm not psychic like you but even I can tell that you're being pushed into this through desperation"

"You're making a mistake" said the man in black.

"Whatever!" I replied. "Look Lyta I'm only trying to help. Talk to me"

"I need money, I need a job and without a reference from Psi Corps no one will hire me" she replied tears forming in her eyes.

"Ah, good job I came by then" I countered, thinking rapidly on my feet. "It just so happens that the regulations in the Galactic Republic are not the same as here. You can work for whomever you like there and no Psi Corps refernces rquired"

"Really?"

"I beg to differ" said the man in black.

"Who the hell is he?" I asked again.

"This is Bester, a Psi Cop" she said. I really did not want to picking on him. Frak it! "Well as Psi Cops have no authority in the Republic and Babylon 5 no longer has any ties to earth, thus Lyta is free to seek employment from companies within said Republic"

"I disagree"

"What are you going to do 'bout it" I said, using a bracelet to blast a table to slag. "I guess your choices are clear" I menaced "Now get lost or you are next". With that Bester beat a hasty retreat, "This isn't over you know". Usually my answer would have been 'Yeh whatever', but in his case it probably wasn't. Looks like I had a very powerful and nasty enemy.

"You mean what you said just then?"

"Sure. Not a problem, I'll put a call through to Yoda who can arrange things. Besides, couldn't you have wiped the floor with him?"

"Probably, but I don't want them to know what I can do"

"Fair 'nuff". Let's get out of here, wanna go to your room and make that call? I've got to see Sheriden, like yesterday"

After my quick call to Yoda, and it seemed that Lyta's employment options were looking up. Reluctantly I made my way to Sheridens' office, unsure what was happening, _although I had a very bad feeling. _I knocked.

"Come in"

"Ah Addad. It is good you came"

"No problem, what's up?"

"Have you heard the reports?"

"Snippets, barely anything"

"Well, it would seem that Clark has started to destroy civilian targets, and we won't stand for it any longer"

"Okay, so where do I come in?"

"Even if you brought Clark back, we need to make a show of force, that such behaviour is intolerable"

"Somehow I sense that you have a plan"

"Well. As it happens I do. I need you teleport in, or whatever it is that you do and capture Clark. While we take out those targets who have been destroying civilians. I don't want you to harm him in any way"

"Then once we accomplished our aims….."

"Okay, when do you want me to go?"

"As soon as we reach Proxima 3"

"Understood Captain, I'll get my gear ready, just in case I encounter resistance from any guards"

"Fine, see you in a shuttle, in say an hour"

"Suits me fine sir" and off I walked.

While I was getting ready, Sheriden was having another meeting, this time with Marcus.

"I want you to take three Whitestars and head straight out, you are to contact the resistance on Proxima 3 and find which ships have fired on civilians and which ones are hanging back. That way we can sort from foe, and possibly anyone that might switch sides"

"Okay, when do I leave?"

"Now"

During the twelve hour journey I slept, a deep, deep sleep. I can see, almost through a tunnel the colour of blood; an image of Sheriden meeting with Garibaldi. They are speaking, but there is no sound. Garibaldi slaps something onto Sheridens hand, and says something, looks like "tank". Then Sheriden is beaten. I then see him seated in a chair, metal bands spring from the chair holding John in place. It is then I awake, covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

Our journey to Proxima 3 almost over, I'm standing on the bridge, waiting for the call for action. Sheriden is getting himself ready. "Open a channel to Marcus"

"Channel open" a Mimbari replied.

"Marcus, did you get that data I requested?"

"I did. Uploading that information now"

"Thanks Marcus. Once we get there, we'll split the fleet. You take one part in the hopes of divide their attention"

An hour later we arrived, Marcus was waiting for us in hyperspace. "Addad, your turn"

"Understood, oh and Captain. I had a vision about you and Garibaldi. He wanted you to meet him, and you were captured by Earthforce"

"What do you mean a vision?"

"Yoda would call it a force vision, or some such. It may come true, it may not. But if you do meet with Garibaldi- be on your guard. Good luck Captain" and I vanished. Using the co-ordinates I used the 'under-time' and arrived a little off, and looking out from my haven could see two guards. _I must be outside his office._ I try to reach into his office and find I cannot, and no matter how I push I am unable to enter. _Something is blocking me_. I can only guess technology given, or stolen from the First Ones.

I check the charge on my bracelets, and 'broke out'. I appeared before both guards and using the gauntlets shot them, two huge thunderbolts blowing them against the walls. Their impact cracked the wall as masonry fell everywhere, the guards broken bodies lay motionless on the floor.

As I opened it I saw a bald man with a slight tan, dressed in a smart grey suit, possessing a mediocre 'middle age spread'. _President Clark_, "Who are you?" he shouted. Ignoring his outburst I dived across the desk making a grab for his arm but what should have been pliable skin and bones under my vampire-like strength, felt cold and non-human. He tried to grab me with his other hand, and I turned and tried to shift out of his way. Somehow he grabbed me and threw my body across the room, using inhuman strength.

I bounced off the wall unharmed, albeit a little shaken, and then felt energy directed at me. Diving for cover, an arc of electricity left both hands and narrowly missed by position.

Rising, _two can play that game mister_, stood facing the President of Earthforce. It was then the wall moved, revealing a hidden door through which walked armed soldiers, in full black body armour their faces concealed, followed by someone I did not recognise. The stranger spoke to me, and seemed to be holding a small black device of some kind. "In a hurry to leave?" he inquired. I looked at the features, dark suit, short blonde hair, slender build and I could hear something odd-_two hearts?_

"Who are you?" I asked reaching out with the force, attempting to get a feel for him. Almost like a blank space that didn't exist, nothing. "Arrest them both" the stranger answered arrogantly. "You can call me Mr President, or sir, or if you ask nicely Mr Saxon sir" he replied jovially.

"You won't get away with this Saxon. My associates will destroy you Harold" shouted former President Clark. Using the force to enhance my speed, I left the room through the door through which I had entered.

Trying to enter the 'under-time' again, and I realised something was still preventing it. "You won't be able to leave that way Harold Saxon" shouted, a.k.a the new President. I looked over my shoulder using the force, and he looked right at me, smiling the whole while. _It was him somehow preventing me from leaving. _

Guards were turning their attention towards me rapidly, and I was beginning to tire. Running through the streets of Sheridens' London, I was hoping to escape with my life, and somehow something was still hampering my ability to escape, so my only choice was to run; at speeds impossible to humans.

I turned down an alley, and never noticed the two people at the end of the alley, _end of the alley! _I too busy looking behind me at the terminator, and got caught a little flat footed. I saw them placing lit candles against both sides of the wall of the alleyway, and their spoken words.

"Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick"

_I did not detect any magic behind their actions _andused the force to reduce my weight, as taught by Kenji, and jumped- hoping my leap would get me a good fifteen to twenty feet up the wall which I would then scale as taught. This did not happen! I leapt twenty feet in the air and kept going; somehow the wall was not where it should be. _What the hell?_

"Who the hell was that?" the woman asked.

"Well they're sure in for a shock" the man replied and extinguished the candle. I turned back towards them, to help them against the T-1000; and encountered an invisible wall. I pushed with all my preternatural strength, and it would not give. I could only watch the terminator butcher them both, impotent to help. I looked behind me, and spied a small alley leading further back. I did not understand what the hell was going on and kept on going.

There was another alleyway before me, and eventually emerged onto the main street. I could smell fire, and hear buildings burning. I felt a tremor in the force, and I quickly ducked, rolled as a nearby building exploded in a shower of masonry as it had instructed me. Something was bombarding it from above and I saw people running in all directions. I saw bodies littering the street, everywhere, many were either dead or dying. _What the hell?_ I reached the nearest, a woman just shivered once and died. Her injuries were extensive, and beyond my ability to heal. Closing her eyes I ran onward, seeking the next, praying that I could help.

_Something felt wrong, but I couldn't place it. _

Another building exploded, the impact knocked me off my feet as I was showered with debris. Some kind of energy weapon hit it. _Frelling hell!_ I saw people walk the street, wielding PPG's, shooting any who got in their way and any they came across took their last breath. All were dressed completely in black, with hoods over their heads, not even their eyes were visible. A couple had some kind of animal on a lead, I don't know what it was, but it certainly resembled some kind of huge feline. _Nice kitty_.

Well one thing is for sure, I was definitely in deep trouble! I quickly, made my way into the shadows, and stayed there – invisible. I waited and watched, it seemed the animals on the lead sniffed for the nearly deceased, having to remain immobile while they slaughtered those near me. As soon as they had passed I emerged from the shadows, creeping behind one of the hooded figures. No one saw or heard me grab my reluctant victim, dragging them into the shadows as I silently broke his neck. I emerged moments later and moved onto to the next. Three times I grabbed a victim, each one was a hooded man, and not even once had I bothered to remove the veil to examine what or who they were. _No time._

"Where are they?" one replied in confusion, looking behind only to find they were the last in line.

"We are three down, someone is picking us off"

"Look for assassins, could be Technomages" one uttered. _Something was very wrong here_. One of the cat things was within feet of my position, and knew I could not hide much longer. I struck from the shadows, using the force to increase my strength and hit the animal using Koto Ryu, also known as Tiger Knocking Down School. As my calloused fist connected, its head snapped back and sat on its haunches. I did not wait and hit the hooded man directly above the heart as I felt it explode under the blow.

Not waiting to hear the sign of pain from the man, or my victims' last words about not wanting to die. _Not that I cared!_

Moving from shadow to shadow, hoping to remain unseen. Suddenly, I felt an intense pain in my head, the pain was blinding; almost like being attacked by the Shadows all those years ago. Unable to keep whoever had blasted through my mental defences out, my step faltered, and I recalled my martial training and used the pain as a fuel; making my anger more intense, allowing me to continue my flight. I felt it again, and again, others were obviously joining in the assault. Blood exploded from my nose yet still my flight continued, at least until a telekinetic force knocked my legs from under me. Unable to move now as they slowly converged on my position, some standing on my arms or legs as each of the hooded men looking down at me. I gathered ki, or the force, about me, and projected a telekinetic strike at my assailants, knocking several off their feet and I remember hearing several meaty thuds of bodies impacting with the ground.

Temporarily free of their control, I directed a force push at the ones still standing, and continued to run. _Flee!_ Every instinct in my body told me to escape and that is what I tried to do. At least until some amorphous shape appeared from nowhere, arriving in a clap of thunder. _It had teleported_. I needed an out, and reached for the 'under-time', only to find it was not there!_ Holy frakking crap!_

The being before me was reptilian, and possessed teeth like needles, its mouth unbelievably wide. It was about seven foot tall, long limbed with grey skin and white eyes. Both arms ended in five long fingers about a foot long; each with long needle like talons, all of which had half a dozen other barbs extending off at forty five degrees, the same was true of its feet. I felt the stabbing pain again, five different sources 'hit me' psychically, hoping I would be distracted with the strange alien. This time I was more prepared for them, blocking them out as best as I could, and suddenly the creature blurred, moving almost too fast to be seen.

I felt the force, instructing me to duck and I did so, and all of a sudden the creature covered the five feet between us, and grabbed me by the throat, its barbs sticking into my neck, drawing blood through superficial wounds. It looked me in the eye, and I felt it tear through my psychic defences effortlessly. _Its strength was incredible _as it slowly started to squeeze. It didn't matter how strong or resistant my neck muscles were to strangulation, I was sure it could snap my neck easily. As it got closer, I could see that its eye had been pierced and it had ring through it. _Bizarre_. This creature looked terrifying and using several of its needle like talons punctured my chest with several. I felt them slide into my body, twisting them, taking delight in my pain. As the combined power of the psychics penetrated my defences, forcing the neurotransmitters in my brain into overload, causing every nerve to fire; the pain was worse than anything I had ever felt. I saw the creature's tongue dart out, licking the sweat pouring from my face.

"More!" It cried in delight. "Your pain tastes incredible. We shall put this one in the holy harp, and we your gods shall drink the last of your pain".

Mercifully blackness took me.

I awoke in a room, with several chairs, chained to a wall. I saw metal wires running from me to some kind of instrument, _a harp_. The wires were connected into my nipples; shoulder joints, elbows, knees, front and back, inner thighs, my face, and I saw one extend into a rather personal area. I examined my mouth with my tongue and what scared me most, was that someone had taken time and drilled a hole in each tooth, wires connected into every nerve. Sweat began to break out on my forehead, and began the slowly journey, dripping down my face and onto the floor.

Several hooded men walked in, watching. In addition to the horrors before me, what I saw caused my blood to go cold. There was a seven foot tall fish with a tail, gone wrong. It had multiple tentacles extending from various different parts of its body. Each tentacle had dozens of sharp claws, several of which were inserted into the human on whose back it rode, some looked quite deep. It had a black armoured carapace, and possessed one smallish mouth and below that was another huge maw, through which was visible a human head; still attached to its body. _It was using this human to travel_. Its eyes transfixed me, being blood red. I looked at it in shock. "Have you never seen one of your gods before?"

Its voice was a rasp, it's how I would imagine a snake trying to speak the human language. "Booooo" I replied, trying to be understood with dozens of bits of metal sticking out of my mouth.

"Well let me introduce myself. My name is Odacon, and this is my Golamh Bester". I looked at the human underneath, he had a huge scar running along the left side of his face, _now I recognised him!_

"I am going to ask you a question, and you will answer me truthfully or we will torture you"

"Ball dordure be banyway" I replied. _This was worse than the dentist!_

"Open your mind to me" said Bester, the fish carrying man.

"Bever!"

"Servant, play the harp!" Bester shouted. A man grabbed a nearby chair, and sitting down strummed a few notes. I didn't really hear the tune, just felt the effect as the vibration ran along each wire and into every major nerve cluster.

I don't know which was more painful, the vibration running along the wires into the nerves in my mouth, or the one into my bladder. Unsurprisingly, I screamed.

"Now, open your mind to me" Bester cried, much more forcefully this time.

"Booo" I uttered in response.

"Play again, until I say stop" Odacon rasped. I saw the hooded man run his fingers along each and every string, and vibration after vibration went along the wires into my body. With my new training I had been quite proud of my new physique, stronger, faster, more agile; endurance to pain increased. I had never expected this in my wildest dreams. I was shouting, screaming in pain, the man-fish thing came close enough, and began licking the sweat of my face and naked chest.

I vaguely remember that someone had 'fouled' themselves, the stench being awful, and yet it continued to lick the sweat off me. The invasion came next, the raping of my mind; I do not know who it was, but they shuffled through my mind like a deck of cards. I do not know how long it went on, but it stopped, suddenly.

When I awoke, I was in a pool of my own excretions, and I recalled the violation of my mind. I began to rock backwards and forward, slowly at first, and increasing in speed- I was not aware of doing this; but it was the only thing that gave me solace and comfort. Eventually I covered my face with my hands and wept uncontrollably.

In came Bester the fish carrying man, hours later with another hooded man, intent on their faces.

I had been washed, although that is an incorrect phrase for what actually happened. I was stripped naked and forced to stand against a wall while I was brutally hosed down, each splash of water bouncing against the wires, sending a new wave of agony crashing through my body. _They did not care_, only that I was clean again for more pointless torture, _for the parasites attached gained sustenance from it_. I was thrown a robe and given a towel to dry myself with, and left on my own again.

I could feel the connection between me and my psychic invader getting stronger, slowly, it wormed its way more and more into my conscious and sub-conscious minds.

Slowly I awoke and realised all the wires were gone, even into my teeth and the rather personal area. A feeling of numbness crept over me, and I 'blacked out' again. I opened my eyes and was looking up at some kind of lizard, or saurian, and then I remembered it, or rather him. The one who had picked me up, before my torture and looked me directly in the eye, "I'm glad you smell cleaner. You should be well presented before your god"

"You are not my god, or anything worthy of worship" I replied angrily, and could not help running my tongue over the holes in my teeth, and grimaced in pain. "In fact, I hope you choke on my emotions"

"There is plenty of time for that!" the Saurian replied and watched me squirm under its gaze. _I felt like a mouse in a maze_. "I am Moloch and you will serve me in all things" and then seemed thoughtful for a moment and began gazing at me again, "all things. Is that clear?"

"Like hell!" I answered defiantly. _I will not show weakness!_

"You will" he contradicted. "Humans are to be fed, bled, and bred as we desire". Moloch saw the defiant look in my eyes, "We could always put you back into the Holy Harp"

"No….no" my body answered, mouth moving before my mind could gain control; "I will serve".

"Good" Moloch shrieked, "Golamh, get him some new clothes and some gruel. Ensure he is well fed for his duties to come"

"Yes Lord" replied the fish thing, obviously not allowing Bester to speak at this point. Moloch turned back towards me once more, and ran a tongue over my skin, _must not show weakness_, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out; and then I lost it and started to hyperventilate, I was having a _panic attack_.

What I took to be a smile appeared on Molochs' face, and then he laughed, "You are broken little godling. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha" and then a blurry visage, followed by another, both distorted, walked towards us. I recognised the presence, and it took a moment for my mind to remember, _a Drakh!_ "What is it you want?" Moloch inquired.

"My masters wish your obediance"

"Come closer little Drakh" Moloch whispered. I knew he was up to something and had no idea what. Slowly one of the Drakh got nearer to the saurian, and suddenly Moloch grabbed one, pulling him close; moving his lips to the Drakhs'. _What the frak is going on?_

As Molochs' face got within 6 inches of the Drakh it was like the old black and white televisions, with aerials that needed twisting, or tuning to get the channel, giving everything an almost spectral after image surrounding them, like an aura. The Drakh was surrounded by this ghostly corona, and it drained into Molochs' mouth; the body limp which he just dropped it to the floor like so much excess baggage.

"What just happened?" I asked.

"Do not be irreverent" mocked Besters' fish, Odacon, "All want to be kissed by an Albino White like Moloch, it is a great honour"

"Is he?" I asked rather stupidly.

"Dead? Of course he's dead. Moloch has drained his soul, stupid ignorant apes! We should have exterminated you rather than educated you"

"Sometimes I agree" said Moloch, "but they're too sweet tasting to exterminate; who wants to lick their distant cousins, the hair got everywhere", and they both walked off laughing, leaving the Drakh standing there dumbfounded. "Go home stupid creature" said Odacon, "you have Molochs' answer. We want nothing to do with you or your pathetic masters!"

When my breathing eventually returned to normal, Bester came back and led me away, passing numerous other cells, he looked at me wearily, and I swear I saw compassion in his eyes.

"Where am I being taken?" A complete fool would have seen the complete revulsion in my eyes. I will not let them touch me. _The thought of it made my skin crawl_. Bester looked at me again, "We will take you to Psi Corp and provide you with food and shelter to perform your duties to Moloch, beginning tonight"

"What happens tonight?"

"A sacrificial fire in his honour, thousands of children will be burnt alive, purifying them"

"That's barbarous" I shouted. "Surely people are not allowing this?"

"The Formorians rule this world. The remaining Melniboneans and Atlanteans both oppose the Formnorians", and then he looked me right in the eye. _Was he trying to tell me something?_

"Careful Golamh" Odacon remarked, and I noticed it plunge a barb deep into Besters' chest, "Aaaarrrgh!" he cried looking at me, eyes pleading for help.

"I could always re-arrange some of your internal organs Golamh, or remove them entirely!"

_Did I help him, or let him suffer?_ I really could not decide, but at this point my decision was made for me as a huge explosion rocked the building, followed by a staccato of PPG shots.

What looked like armed soldiers charged in, shooting any hostiles they saw. Any locked doors they passed were opened, forcibly if necessary, releasing prisoners as they went. A shot caught Bester in the chest, body sagging, legs giving way. His eyes were pleading, begging for release. I stepped and drove a knife hand strike directly to the side of his neck, killing the Psi Cop. I may not be totally human, but his expression showed gratitude before passing into oblivion.

Odacon separated from the host and ran at a blur. I was too weak for any conflict, and had to use the wall, steadying myself. One of the soldiers put my arm around his neck, "I'm okay, help the others" I said, and helped another prisoner. I barely noticed that she was female or that she had dark hair or that she was attractive.

We ran, walked or stumbled outside while under the protective guards. Mostly in my case stumbled, barely having the energy to pay attention to where we were going, certainly nothing in 'the tank' for fighting; and quite frankly all of the prisoners were the same; physically and mentally and psychically drained beyond belief. "Move quicker!" they shouted, while keeping a constant stream of PPG fire at the building we had just left. Eventually we were led through the ruins, "This way!" another whispered.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Away from here" one shouted. We rounded another corner, and came upon an alleyway. I watched as one pulled out three candles, and quickly lit them. I was beginning to get a thought, but didn't want to jinx it. Slowly the guard chanted over the three candles, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candle stick" he said.

"Jump over, all of you" a guard shouted, and helped us all over, some were carried past the candles. "Where now?" another prisoner squeaked.

"Keep going till you get out the alley"

"What about you?" I asked.

"You all get across, we're going somewhere else. Now go!" he shouted.

We all walked down the alleyway, and followed it around the corner. Slowly we emerged, and large screens showed a familiar looking, smiling and jovial face. "Harold Saxon the new President" and large crowds clapped in applause.

"No longer will we have the tyranny of Clark, but a more understanding future" he droned. I quickly tried to sense the 'under-time' and found its' presence soothing. Still holding the unknown woman in my arms disappeared.

While in the 'under-time' she communicated with me. "Who are you?" she asked.

"It's okay. I am Addad, we're going straight to Medbay"

"I know, my name is Seraphina"

"What race are you?" I enquired while on route to Babylon 5.

"My race has many names. We used to travel in ships a hundred and fifty miles long until I was exiled". I was not beginning to like the sound of this, and looked at her. She was stunning, and I could see was getting stronger. I could feel her attraction to me. "What race are you from?" I asked again, more gently this time.

"The Kurians before their extinction knew of us as the Pre-Entities". I almost dropped her in space, there and then. My mouth felt very dry, desert dry like it was full of sand. "Why were you exiled?" I stammered 'breaking out' on Narn, the hillside was deserted as I dropped to all fours in exhaustion. I watched her eyes, and they said a lot of things; a lifetime of regret, sorrow and of hope to come and her desire towards me. I stepped back and almost fell. "Why?" I asked again.

"You are afraid of me" she said rhetorically. "Why?"

"I know what your species is capable of"

"Here maybe, but not" she said looking me directly in the eye, "home" she said wistfully. "We were hunted to almost extinction by the Vorlons, the Shadows sought to use us as tools and soldiers of war. What was left of my race chose to fight them. I spoke for peace"

"A likely story" I said as she advanced on me. "Why decide to stop draining whole civilisations?"

"It hasn't been that way for millions of years" she replied. "Some of my race went into stasis and ventured beyond the rim, but I was exiled to earth a thousand years ago" she finished. Her eyes looked sincere, but did I believe her? Either that or the recent torture was playing havoc with my mind.

Slowly she walked towards me, and lifted me to my feet. Placing her hand to my face, turned it and brought hers closer to mine; our lips brushed. I felt her drain some of my energy, not as bad as Yoda did, _damn Pre-Entities! _It was then I felt a jolt of psychic energy from her coursing through my system, revitalising, "No" she said telepathically, "I can see into your mind now", and realised I did not have enough energy to raise any mental defences. "Do not worry Addad, I can see your fear" she continued on the intimate, very intimate esper channel, "now feel and see my life" and suddenly I was inundated with sights, sounds as she showed me some her life. _What she had told me was true, she was not like the others!_

"No I'm not" she retorted telepathically, sounding all offended as I had forgotten our minds were joined, albeit temporarily. "Would you prefer I leave?"

"No" I replied telepathically. I had never experienced communication in this form before. "Astonishing, why did I never experience this before?" I inquired non-verbally, more to me than her. "We must go" she said, "You are getting weak" and she lunged for me, right on cue as my legs gave way.

Catching me, she kissed me once more as a huge jolt of energy rocketing through my system. My strength began to return as hers began to fade. "You must get us to safety" and grabbing her entered the 'under-time' once more. I arrived in the middle of Medlab, and was rescued by John and Marucs; both of whom caught us.

Days later we awoke, at the same time. I felt as though she had forged a permanent psychic connection between us, energy being split between us equally to the betterment of both. "Are you okay?" John asked.

"Not really" I answered.

"Somebody certainly worked you over pretty good" said Marcus.

"I'll say" said Doctor Franklin. "Every tooth drilled, puncture wounds all over your body, nerve damage and I even had to remove a stray metal fibres. What the hell happened to you?"

So I told them, sparing no details, except about my new companion, only saying that she was human. Franklin raised an eyebrow at that. "At least we have a new President now" Marcus said, "let's hope he's a good one".

"I need to talk to you about that"

"Is there a problem Addad?" Sheriden enquired, using his command tones.

"Possibly. But I'd like to get some sleep, preferably in my old bed, if the room is still available?"

"Of course, I'll sort out a room for your friend here, too" he remarked amiably.

"No need, she's staying with me" I replied automatically without even thinking. I don't know why I had said that, well actually I was beginning to get an idea. "Fine". I then realised I had forgotten something, "Captain, did you meet Garibaldi in the end?"

"I did. Luckily due to your warning I took some back up with me, it turned out to be a trap"

"I'm sorry Captain"

"What for? Saving my life?"

"No for losing your friend. I'll see you tomorrow to talk about the new President, Harold Saxon. Goodnight John" I said and walked out with Seraphina, as we turned a corner I slid my hand into hers.

The President of Earth looked on gleefully. The humans has no idea, and in walked another, and stood watching the Psi Cop- Bester. "Mr President, it is good to meet you at last".

"Well, well, well. What can I do for you?" the Master replied happily.

"I came to discuss a situation with you"

"Cup of tea?"

"No thank you" to which the Psi Cop held his palm out, further trying to enforce the gesture.

"Biscuit perhaps?"

"No"

"Cake" suggested the Master, holding up a plate full.

"No thank you Mr President".

"Cake" said the President still holding the plate.

"Thank you" answered Bester taking it off the plate. "Now if I may?"

"Aren't you going to eat it?" asked the President, pointing his head at Besters' cake.

Bester did not know what the Presidents' game was, insisting about either a drink or food, or both. Yet having taken a cake, insisting it be eaten, he felt like a child again. Gathering his formidable skills, tried to sense the President, _something is not right, _ensure everything was okay. _He couldn't sense anything, almost like being blocked. _That was not possible though. Able to sense Vorlons and Shadows and even though they blocked the scan, he could tell. This was more sublte somehow. _Why was he always so damn jovial?_

"Problem?" asked the President. "Don't you feel better having eaten your cake? A bit of a sugar rush?"

"Er….yes"

"Are you trying to scan me? Unauthorised scans are illegal; didn't you know?"

"So's being a blip" Bester replied confidently.

"Only if you're human" replied the Master, and lent over Bester.

Suddenly Bester felt his psychic defences collapse like a house made of straw. _This isn't possible_ he thought. _I'm a P12, even a Vorlon couldn't do this_, as he screamed. Defences gone, the President showed Bester a civilisation that made the Vorlons childlike, not godlike. Just like a switch being turned "You will serve Mr Bester?" the President raged.

Bester lay exhausted, almost unable to speak. "You will serve me Bester. For I am the Master", and all the Psi Cop could do was nod.

Authors note.

If anyone is still unsure what either Moloch, or a Golamh looks like; they are as per Slaine:

This story will be continued in the story The Aftermath.


End file.
